The Legend of Zelda: Inner Demons
by RyoshiMorino
Summary: Link returns to the past after sealing Ganondorf away in the Sacred Realm, and goes to stop him in the past before all the chaos can start again. But instead of going to the Princess, he goes straight to Ganondorf himself and challenges him to a duel with the King of Hyrule as a witness. See how things unfold. Zelink.
1. Chapter 1: The Boy In Green

_**1: The Boy In Green**_

* * *

Zelda watched from the window as the dark man from her dreams entered the throne room of her father. He was tall and lean, with a long nose and dark skin. His eyes were a piercing yellow that made her skin crawl as he strode up to the throne before kneeling to her father. It was all a farce in her eyes. She knew this man was bad news. Her dreams told her as much.

Being a Princess of Hyrule meant many things. She was a Healer by heart, able to use magic in ways that most could no longer do, as well as a wielder of Light magic used to combat Darkness. One other gift she had per her bloodline was the gift of foresight. Every now and again, if it was dire, a dream would come to her with a warning of something horrible about to happen.

Now she was watching her latest dream unfold right in front of her.

"Where's the boy in green?" She wondered softly just as Ganondorf looked at her, prompting the child to duck under the bushes. _Nayru's Love, he saw me!_ She though frantically.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the room that had the girl peeking up once more. Ganondorf had turned toward the doors which were flung open. Zelda stood stunned at the presence now standing at the door. Their was the boy in green. A sword and shield were at his back, and in his left hand was the glowing green stone she had seen him carrying...but the dream was of him presenting it to herself...so why...?

Inside the throne room, King Daphnes Nohanson Hyrule rose from his seat at the boy's entrance. The boy's face was as hard as stone and his eyes cold as ice. He recognized the stone in his hand immediately as the Kokiri's Emerald, or Farore's Spirit Stone.

" _Nedro uud tukodi dinora kia nun ir nuyak tauta._ " The boy shouted in Ancient Hylian, which shocked all present, even the spying Princess, for it was a grievous accusation for one so young to make, " _Nu iezkon tave heir iv tave desert kia ziur teisybe brought sh\'jatau jis!_ "

The King, stunned at the proclaimation, looked from the strange boy to the King of the Desert. The boy had just claimed a grudge against Ganondorf without so much as batting an eye!

"Boy, who are you to claim such a grievance?!" One of the guards roared, his pike pointed toward the boy, "You are in the presence of the King of Hyrule, and King of the Gerudo!"

Ganondorf scoffed, and drew the sword at his side, "This boy dares to claim I have wronged him in the ancient tongue?" He said, a thin smile forming on his face, "I hope you know that this means your end, child?"

Daphnes glared at the man, "Stay your hand, Ganondorf!" He roared, turning back to the child, "My child, do you realize that speaking such words in the ancient language is as much a death sentence as it is rare? If you have something against the Gerudo King, then you should have brought to me before making such a claim!"

The boy held the jewel in his hand up high, the grew glow lighting the room brighter than the sun. "This isn't a claim, it's the truth!" He said, "The Spirit Stone of Farore is the heart of my people, given to the Great Deku Tree for protect, and he sent the monster, Gohma, to murder him!"

Ganondorf, though he didn't show it, was fuming inside. ' _How did he know?_ ' He wondered as the child stepped forward, ignoring the guards.

The Hyrule king looked at this fellow monarch, "Is that true, Ganondorf?"

Ganondorf chuckled, "The misleading speech of a child too big for his britches," the man said, leveling his blade at the boy, "But the boy has issued a challenge against me, therefore, by the ancient laws, we must duel."

"He's but a child!" The guard that had pointed his spear at him before yelled out, "There's no honor to be gained from besting a boy!"

"Honor has little to do with the law," Ganondorf pointed out, "Even my people know of the ancient ways, and to ignore them would bring ill tidings both parties."

The boy narrowed his eyes, " _Tu isar nenx zenoti kam vik\'dyt kash._ " He spat out, much to Ganondorf's ire as he placed the stone inside his tunic, and taking both sword and shield from his back.

The dark-skinned King glared at the boy as he took his blade in both hands, "Before I skin you alive, boy, just what name shall I carve on your tombstone?"

"My name is Link," the boy said, "And you won't be skinning anyone."

Ganondorf sped forward, his sword raised high, thinking to cleave the boy where he stood. But the boy feinted to the left, and rolled behind him, his small blade scraping against the plated metal guarding the man's left leg. Link had just drawn first blood, even if no skin had been touched. Ganondorf was furious. No mere boy would get the better of him and live!

"King Dragmire!" Daphnes roared angrily, "Stop this at once!"

The two combatants did not stop. Ganondorf whipped around with an overhand strike, the blade sailing over the smaller boy as he ducked, and swung the blade back at him in a horizontal slash meant to kill. Link jumped into the air above the King, his blade digging into the man's right shoulder pauldron. He kicked himself free and flipped back to the ground.

Ganondorf kicked out, his heel smashing into the wood shield the boy carried, splintering the wood, and sending the boy rolling from the force of the blow. Link roled back to this feet, his sword at the ready. He lunged forward, his sword held out in front of him. The movement was so quick that Ganondorf barely had time to parry the blow.

He then used his free hand to smack the child aside, sending him crashing to the ground. Blood trickled from the corner of Link's mouth as he rose back to his feet, only to have the black blade of the Desert King pointed at his throat. "Good riddance!" He growled, preparing the gut the boy, only for the blade of the Hyrule King to interfere.

"That is quite enough!" The man snarled, his arm shaking as the two blades clashed, "Law or not, I will not stand idly by while you butcher this boy!"

Ganondorf glanced at the man, "He has invoked the old laws, Daphnes," he said, looking down at the boy with venom in his eyes, "If he didn't know what he was doing, then how did he know what to say?"

"And why would he do such a thing if he was lying?" Daphnes snapped as the two blades parted, both being sheathed, all except for Link's blade, still held tightly in his hands. The old king turned to the boy, "Son, the Spirit Stone of Farore, as you said, is the heart of the Kokiri. Their language is deep rooted in magic that allows no lies to pass through their lips. If what you say is the truth, say it to me in Farore's tongue."

Link's eyes hardened. At the window, Zelda was holding her breath from the short battle. The boy was amazing! Then, in a clear, almost lyrical voice, he spoke, " _Ch'ah tisut ch'at vasu'as_." A light sheen of blue surrounded the boy as he spoke as if he were casting a spell.

Ganondorf growled as Daphnes turned to him. "You came here to talk of peace," the kind sneered, "Yet you send a monster to attack an ancient spirit in my lands." He waved his hand to signal the guards, "Our talks are over, Dragmire," he said as his men surrounded him, "you are forever banished from Hyrule. I cannot deny your people the need to produce children to keep your tribe alive, so the warriors of Gerudo may come and go as they please, but Hylia help the poor woman that spies for you, because she will know no mercy."

"That will be your last mistake," the man growled and stormed out of the throne room.

The Kind watched him go for a moment and turned his attention back to the child. Link stood before him, suddenly humbled and shy, "My boy, I believe you've done my people a great service allowing me to turn that man away from my kingdom." He told the boy, "To come here under false pretenses of peace is bad enough, but I fear he may have been after something greater still."

Link nodded, "The Great Deku Tree said he was after the Triforce," the boy said, shocking the man as he held up his right hand, briefly showing the Triforce of Courage on the back of his hand. "Farore blessed me with Courage before I came here, and I was at least able to fend him off."

"And fend him off you did," the king smiled, "My daughter told me of a dream she had recently. A boy of your age would appear before the courts with the Spirit Stone of Courage, clad in green. It seems I should listen to her more often."

At the window, Zelda felt her chest swell with pride, smiling at her father's words. Impa appeared at her shoulder then, startling her as the woman held a finger to her lips.

"What are your plans now, Young Link?" The king asked, "Will you go back to the forest?"

Link shook his head, "I'll return the Stone to my people, so that a new Deku Tree can grow, but that'll be the last time I go back," he said sadly, "I'm actually Hylian. I was raised by the Kokiri at the request of the Great Deku Tree."

The King nodded, "I owe you a great deal, young man. The least I can do is offer you a place here in Castle Town, and training as one of my Knights."

Link looked up at the King, a smile, shy smile coming to his face, "I think I'd like that."

Still listening outside the window, Zelda smiled in delight. "Did you hear that, Impa?" She asked the Sheikah woman, "He's going to stay!"

Impa chuckled, smiling at her charge, "My, my, how much you care for this boy already, my little one." She said, much to the young Princess's embarrassment. Impa looked through the window as one of the Knights lead Link from the throne room. "Still, it was an impressive bout for one so young. The child has had some training."

Zelda nodded as she watched him go, "I suppose he must have dealt with that monster Ganondorf sent to kill the Great Deku Tree," she said thoughtfully, "But he's so young. And you once told me that some of the Gohma species grow to enormous sizes."

"That they do, little one," Impa nodded, her arms crossed, "If he fought and destroyed one, he must be quite strong for his size and age. Gohma can be quite troublesome, even for seasoned Knights."

"I want to meet him," Zelda said, turning to her guardian with twinkling eyes, her hands clasped together in plea, " Please, Impa? He's the boy from my dreams; I must meet him!"

Impa chuckled once more and gently lead the girl back through the gardens, "Boy _from_ your dreams, or boy _of_ your dreams?" She asked jokingly as the girl blushed, "And I believe you'll meet him soon than you think. If the King intends to make him into one our Knights, then he'll most likely put him under Sir Rusl, and he is your father's most trusted Knight."

Zelda nodded, "He's very kind, too." She said, remembering her interactions with the Knight Commander, "But doesn't he already have to two other boys he's teaching?"

"One more won't matter," the Sheikah assured her, "What impresses me most is the fact that he was so fluent in the ancient tongue." She said, thinking back as she had watched from afar, "Though I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised, as he was raised in the Lost Woods by the Kokiri."

=x=

Ganondorf entered his room angrily and tossed off his cloak, "Blast that boy!" He growled as he sat at his desk, filled with charts and maps. Above that desk was also a larger map of the land marked with a red string web centered around the drawing of the completed Triforce. Marked on the map was a golden pin that was placed withing the Castle Town area on the fabled Temple of Time. "If only he'd been killed by that foolish beast I sent!"

"Did we not warn you?"

"That the boy would be trouble?"

Ganondorf groaned in annoyance as the two voices reached his ears. As he turned, sure enough, the twin witches that had raised and instructed him in magic were sitting on the window sill.

"What do you two old hags want?" He sneered at the two witches, "And I do not want to hear anymore of your damned prophecies!"

The two witches cackled, "Our prophecy has already begun to make an appearance to you," Koume said, her flames flickering behind her lips.

"Did the boy from the forest not come to put a stop to you finding out more of the Triforce?" Kotake asked, her breath coming out in frozen puffs, "And did the king of Hyrule not intervene when you were about to strike the boy down?"

Ganondorf scoffed, "The boy means nothing to me, hags," he snapped rising, "If you fear him so much, then why not send something more powerful after him than that idiotic Gohma? That Dodongo you sent to the Gorons of Death Mountain should be mature enough to start feeding on them, so why not use it?"

Kotake frowned, "It's not yet ready to emerge from the volcano, yet." She said, "But this boy will pose a greater problem then we expected."

"Yes," Koume said, nodding, "He was easily able to keep up with you in that short dual, even though he didn't injure you, he did manage a fine hit that would have caused trouble for you had it not been for your armor."

"Given enough time and proper training, the boy could become a formidable opponent." Kotake said, "Given that he slew the Gohma we sent to the forest, it's likely that he'll readily go after the other monsters we've bred."

Ganondorf frowned, "The boy is talented, I'll give him that," he relented, "I will have to become stronger myself if the boy is not slain during my planning period." He said, then smirked, "Still, if the prophecy holds true, then this boy may be the key to gathering all of the Spirit Stones together to open the doors of the Sacred Realm. Then I shall have what I want."

"We would advise caution, Lord Ganondorf," Koume said, "The boy may indeed prove useful, but a sword normally has two edges."

"Grasp it too tightly, and it will cut you," Kotake said, "Once you have what you desire, do not hesitate to strike the boy down, or else he may yet be a thorn in our sides, more so when he is properly trained."

Again the Gerudo King scoffed as he strode for the door of his room, "You don't need to worry about that," he said, looking down at the scratch in his armor left by the young warrior, "That boy has made an enemy not of one man, but and entire tribe! I'll see him burn, one way, or another."

=x=

Rusl strode down the halls flanked by two Knights on either side of him. "And you said the boy was able to hold his own for a few moments against a fully trained Gerudo, the King no less?" He asked.

"It's true," said the man on his right, "I was there, Rusl, the boy was incredible!"

"Aye, that he was," said the larger man on his left, "Like a little whirlwind he was, until his shield got ruined. If it hadn't been for the King, the kid would have been done for."

Rusl nodded, "Still, it is impressive that he lasted that long against a full grown man, Gerudo or not, the boy should be dead." He said, stopping by the barracks where his two Pages, and the boy had been assigned. Opening the door, he found both Pipit and Groose sound asleep. Pipit was a lankly lad, with manners and a habit of being a clean person, even at the tender age of eleven. Groose was his polar opposite. While Pipit slept under the covers quietly, Groose was flopping around on his bed, snoring loudly.

Rusl searched the room for his third apprentice, but found the bed untouched. Instead, the boy had found a corner of the room to bed down in, his back to the wall, and one eye partially open. All he used as a pillow was a rolled up spare blanket. The Knight Commander was shocked, to say the least. The boy, no older than Pipit, and so much smaller than the twelve year old Groose, was acting like a battle hardened veteran.

As he entered the room silently, the man noticed that the boy slept clutching his blade hidden partially under the rolled up blanket, ready to strike should he feel threatened. "So young," Rusl found himself whispering as the children slept. "Yet he seems so old at the same time."

Backing out of the room, Rusl quietly closed the door, frowning. "That boy has seen far too much battle," he said to his Knights. "That's no child I've been given to train, that's a warrior."

"Why doesn't he use the bed?" The large man asked of his commander, "Surely it would better than the floor?"

Rusl shook his head, "It's too soft for him," he sighed, "It probably feels like he's going to sink straight to the floor." He sighed and ran his hand through his graying hair, "You don't get like that unless you've spent a long time sleeping on the ground. He's been through more than we know, and probably more than we'll ever want to know."

Rusl sighed again as he moved on, "In the morning, I want his mattress replaced with something a little more worn. We need to get him used to sleeping on normal beds little by little." He said, "I may be training him to wield a sword properly, but I won't have him grow up to be a wild animal."

"It'll be done," they said at once.

With that, Rusl retired for the evening, left to wonder just how long the boy, Link, had been fighting. And just _what_ he had been fighting.

* * *

Translations:

Link:1 My People and I have been wronged. 2: I seek the Heir of the desert to see justice brought upon him! 3: You have no honor. 4: I speak the truth.

Bonus: Link was speaking two different fictional Languages. His first three were from one Language, while his forth was from a second Language. The bonus point is for the Races both languages belong to.

Hint: May the Force be with you.

 _ **A new story that's been nagging at the back of my mind for a while. This Story is set in Ocarina of Time, after Link is sent back in time. He hasn't left for Termina, yet, but he will, and he won't come back the same as he once was. He'll be a lot worse. Now, this story will feature Twilight Characters as well as Skyward Sword characters. None from Breath of the Wild, but that looks to be an awesome, awesome game. Now I'd like so see what you all think of this new little adventure, so don't hesitate to let me know what you think. Just no Trolls, please, I get enough of those :p**_

 _ **Review for Opinions, and Constructive Criticism!**_


	2. Chapter 2: Twitterpated

_**2:Twitterpated**_

* * *

Link came awake at the break of dawn, or so it seemed as if he did. The room in which he slept had no windows, and was black as pitch save for the small amount of light filtering under the door. The young Hylian stretched as he made to sheath his sword, no longer needing it now that he was awake. His roommates, Pipit and Groose they were called, were still fast asleep, Groose snoring away like an angry bear, while Pipit had barely moved during the night.

As he was making sure he still had everything ready, the door burst open, startling Link into drawing his sword again. But it was only one of the King's Knights. The man looked a little surprised to see the boy awake so early, haivng planned on waking them all for an early start. "Ah, good, you're awake already," he said, moving over to the other two occupants of the room, "Come on, boys, wake up! We've got work to do!" He said loudly, giving Pipit a rough shake of his shoulder, causing the boy to come awake at once.

Groose was slower to wake than any of them, and simply rolled back over when shaken. The Knight sighed with a role of his eyes and grabbed a water jug from a small table in the room before dumping its contents over the sleeping boy.

Groose came awake with a yelp and lept out of bed, flopping to the floor. "What the hell, old man!?" The large boy yelled and was promptly clonked on the head by the jug.

"That's Mister Old Man to you, Page Groose," Rusl snorted, smiling at the soaked boy, "At least this saves you the trouble of taking a bath this week."

Pipit rolled out of bed and pulled on his boots, and tugged a clean shirt out of his trunk, "Master, who is that new boy?" He asked.

Groose, just noticing Link in the room, frowned, "Ah, great, another runt to hold me back."

"Groose, mind your manners," Rusl chuckled, and stepped over to Link, who was watching them nervously, "Now, I was told to take you in as one of my apprentices. And I've heard about your short battle with the Desert King."

Link nodded, blushing slightly, "I got by."

Rusl chuckled and reached down to ruffle the boy's hair, noting how he stiffened upon the contact. _'Guarded lad, this one.'_ He thought, "Modesty is a good trait among men I train, Link, but I give credit where credit is due, and your performance impressed the King, which impresses me." He said, smiling at the boy. "Now, while I do intend to train you, there is much about being a Knight of Hyrule's army that does not include fighting."

Groose looked up at this, "Like what?" The large boy asked with his arms behind his head, "I thought that's what we were supposed to do?"

Pipit sighed as he looked at the boy, "Really? Were you raised in a barn or something?" He asked haughtily, "Knights do a lot more that go stomping around the country looking for a fight."

Groose growled at the young boy but Rusl stepped in before a fight could break out, "Pip's right, Groose. Knights not only fight when we're needed, but we also represent our King when needed. We're expected to be upright, proper, and gentlemanly."

"Meaning you need to bathe more," Pipit put in, much to Groose's annoyance.

"Hey, I bathe!"

"When was the last time you had a proper bath with soap?" Pipit asked, crossing his arms, "Because it always smells like a stable in here whenever you're around."

Link blushed a little harder, "That's...probably me. I haven't had a chance to wash off in a while." Pipit looked at the boy, and felt a little sorry for bringing up the smell. Link was by far the smallest boy he'd ever seen. Groose may as well have been a giant compared to him.

"Don't worry about it," Rusl said kindly, "Pipit can lead you down to the bathing rooms, and after that, we can all have a fine breakfast before we start the day." He said, smiling at the three boys, "We're heading to Lon Lon Ranch. Every Knight has a horse of their own, and a horse is a great responsibility for anyone."

As Groose and Pipit beamed at the thought of getting their own horses, Link was smiling at the thought of returning to Lon Lon and seeing Malon and Epona again. ' _They won't remember me, though,_ ' he thought sadly, but he knew that Malon wouldn't have changed even with all that had happened. And befriending Epona was going to be just as fun as the first time around.

The little filly was by far his closest companion besides Navi.

=x=

Bored.

That was the one thing that could sum up how Zelda, Crowned Princess of Hyrule was feeling at the moment. Listening to Professor Horwell going on and on about Hyrule traditions and customs was nothing short of torture to the young preteen. Shad, on the other hand, was listening to the man with rapt attention. The young man was always on the learning curb, and Zelda found it impossible to keep up with him at the best of times when he was studying.

More to the point, she didn't want to study this morning. She wanted to go out and meet the boy that she had seen face down Ganondorf.

"Princess, are you with us today?" Horwell asked politely, noticing the girl's distraction.

Zelda blushed at being caught woolgathering. "I'm terribly sorry, Professor, what were you saying?"

Horwell smiled and rolled his eyes, "I was going over the border trouble we've been having for the past fifty years due to the dictator ruling over Holodrum." He said, "As I was saying, Lord Onox has been said to be well over four hundred years old, twice as old as any Hylian has ever lived to be, and quite a powerful warrior." He droned on, smiling as the girl nodded, "While we have had a fine relationship with the neighboring kingdom of Labrynna, their recent queen, Lady Ambi being a kind and just woman of good breeding - "

' _Breeding,_ ' Zelda thought with a snort, _'Why is it that most people in power always view girls as brood mares?_ '

"In recent years, female rulers have been on the rise." Horwell said, catching Zelda's attention. "Queen Ambi has paved the way for more ladies to take on the role of leadership, a prime example being the Gerudo, who, until recently, were a female dominated tribe until Lord Ganondorf was born and raised to be the first Gerudo King seen in over three centuries."

' _Good for them,_ ' Zelda thought, thinking how the King had turned out to be a liar and a brute. "Professor?" Zelda asked with a raise of her hand. "I'm sorry to deviate from the lesson, but with recent events, could you tell us a little about the Lost Woods?"

Horwell nodded, "I don't see why not." He said, moving over to the bookshelves, and plucking a thick green tomb from the third shelf, "The Lost Woods, as the name suggests, are a series of forested areas with very few safe havens for anyone that enters those lands uninvited, or with ill intent." Horwell explained, "Within these forests live several large, ancient trees known to be sentient, and very wise should anyone become lucky enough to encounter one. Some examples are the Deku Trees. These trees are well known for growing to massive size, and blessed with the ability to speak.

"They also have human-like faces growing into their bark that is considered their frontal halves. The Great Deku Trees of the Kokiri Forest have been known to produce a race of small people known as the Kokiri for which the forest is named for. They also produce several other species. Koroks are small tree-like people that spread the seeds of the Great Deku trees throughout the forests, keeping the magic alive for the next generation of Deku Trees. Another would be the Kikwi, another plant-like being resembling a hedgehog."

Zelda thought about that for a moment and giggled at the thought of a talking hedgehog.

"But," Horwell said, "The Lost Woods aren't all pleasant and adventurous. There are plenty of dangers that are within that forest." He said, plipping through his book, "The forest defends itself by sapping the strength of those it deems dangerous to itself and its people, by sapping their strength, and changing them into Stalchildren, who then take up the sword, and defend the forest themselves. It's also home to Kargaroks and the larger Helmarocs, both of which are large enough to carry a fully grown person off to be eaten."

Zelda shivered. She owned a quill pen made from a Kargarok feather. It was beautiful, of course, but she hadn't known until then that the large birds would eat people given the chance.

If Link had come from such a place where the very forest could harm you just by setting foot inside the treeline, then how had he survived? She wondered this while Horwell kept talking about the dangers of the forest, all the while her thoughts turning to the little boy in green.

=x=

"How are our talks going with the Rito across the mountains?" The King asked his adviser. "This is our first time dealing with such a race as theirs, and I must say, I'm interested to see what we could do with an alliance between us."

Owlan, the King's trusted adviser, smiled at the man, "Truthfully, they have very little in the ways of want, or needs," he said, looking over reports he'd received from his scouts, "They are fishing folk, and prefer the higher mountains as their homes. They only come down to hunt in the waters of the Great Bay. That puts them in direct competition with the Zoras. Which brings me to a little snag his Majesty, King Zora has brought to my attention."

"Hmm?" The King looked at the man in interest, "Is something wrong?"

Owlan shrugged, "Well, recently, as the men have gone out to fish in open waters, many have come under attack by what the King calls Red Zoras." He said, tapping his reports with his quill, "I've never seen one, but Red Zoras are rumored to be extremely violent compared to the more civilized ones we've come to know. And they're flesh eaters."

King Daphnes nodded, "You may tell King Zora that we of Hyrule will offer any and all assistance he may need should these Red Zoras keep causing trouble for him and his people for he has done us many great services, including selling his wares to our merchants at a very reasonable price. I believe my wife had a treasured pearl necklace gifted to her by the last Zora queen in friendship."

"It will be done," Owlan smiled.

"As for the Rito, should they find themselves in need of better hunting grounds, tell them that the may use any of the waters around the castle." He said, smiling, "Lake Hylia is ripe with many species of fish that are plentiful and quite tasty if memory serves me right."

"That's a fine idea, and I hear that they are very fond of using Kargarok feathers as jewelry and such," Owlan said, looking down at his quill, "The females of their people even accept them as a show of engagement."

The King sighed, "There's no shortage of Kargaroks or Helmarocs around," he said, thinking back to all of the complaints he'd been getting from farms reporting stolen livestock, work of the large birds, no doubt. "If they hunt the beasts, more power to them, because I would welcome the idea of fewer of those monsters around."

"I will be sure to tell them that they are fair game for their people," Owlan smiled, jotting down a few notes on the matter, "Now, might I remind you that today is, in fact, your daughter's birthday, and that you promised her a white shire pony that is currently residing at Lon Lon Ranch?"

The King paled, "Drat! I knew I was forgetting something!" He lept from his seat a made for the door, "Owlan, I'll trust you to send those letters out to the Rito and Zora people respectively! IMPA!"

Owlan smiled after his King, "Poor man. He'd forget his own head if it wasn't set upon his neck." He chuckled and got to work making out the letters to the two respective peoples.

=x=

Zelda was ecstatic about the day at last. In the excitement of the previous day, she had all but forgotten her birthday, and the fact that she was finally getting her own pony. Now she and Impa could go out riding as much as she wanted, and as far as she wanted, under the Sheikah woman's supervision, of course. As the carriage for her and her father pulled up to the gates, however, the young girl was in for a pleasant surprise.

At th gate were Knight Commander Rusl, and his three Pages.

"Well, good day to you, Your Highnesses," Rusl laughed as he tipped his helmet at the King and his daughter, nodding to Impa as she sat atop the carriage.

The King smiled his greetings to his friend, "Hello to you as well, Rusl." He said, taking in the three boys squished together on the man's horse. "What's all this? Heading off to the ranch as well?"

"That we are, M'lord," Rusl smiled, "The boys could use some responsibility in their lives, and young Link seems to be quite excited at the idea of having his own pony." He said, gesturing to the youngest of the boys behind him, who was seated between Groose and Pipit so he wouldn't fall off.

Zelda poked her head out and smiled as she waved to the boy, trying to get his attention. Link blushed a little and shyly waved back. What was wrong with him, he wondered. He hadn't felt so shy since meeting Nabooru of the Gerudo. The Princess he knew...sort of...well, he knew her future self, but he knew enough of her past self to...ugh, this was giving him a headache!

Time travel was a pain.

"We're on our way there to pick up my daughter's birthday present," Daphnes said, patting the girl on her head, making her giggle as it unbalanced her cap which kept her wild golden locks in check. A strand of which had come loose and had the girl tucking it behind her ear. A fact that the little Hero didn't miss.

' _...p-pretty...really pretty..._ ' the boy thought as Rusl spurred his horse into a trot.

"Well, since it's a bit of a ways off, why don't we escort you?" Rusl smiled, catching the smallest boy in the act of blushing with a chuckle, noticing his lingering gaze on the Princess. "I bet Lady Impa would be glad of the extra support."

"That I would," Impa put in from her perch, "My fool of a King utterly refused a guard detail."

"Fool, eh?" Daphnes grunted at the woman from his window, "Careful, woman, wouldn't want you to fall and break a nail."

Impa scoffed, "Drive on!" She snapped to the coachman. The King yelped as the carriage lurched, nearly costing his crown.

Zelda giggled as her father sat back down in the carriage safely whilst adjusting his crown, "Really, Father, you should know better than to tease Impa." She said, "I always ended up with a smart bottom when I tried."

Daphnes harrumphed, "The day that bloody woman gets the better of me is the day I let her wear the crown."

"I'll hold you to that," Impa said, appearing next to the man in a puff of smoke, and thoroughly scaring the life out of both royals.

"Blast it all, Impa, don't do that!" The King roared.

"Do what?"

"BAH!"

Rusl chuckled as he listened to the bickering inside the carriage, "Sounds as though they're having fun, eh, lads?"

Groose giggled loudly, "Hey, Pipit, did ya see the Princess lookin' at me?"

Pipit scoffed, "She wasn't looking at you, Groose," the boy said, smirking, "The only way she'd do that is if she wanted nightmares."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Groose growled, raising his fist at the boy, making Link duck beneath him.

"Hey, no fighting on horseback," Rusl cautioned goodnaturedly, "You'll get bucked off."

Link kept his peace as the two bickered back and forth, smiling away at the way the young Princess had been looking at him instead of the larger boy in front of him, ' _This is what her future self meant. To be a child again. I get to have friends, and get to know her all over again without watching Hyrule burn._ ' He thought, beaming at the thought of actually having friends outside of the forest. Well, aside Malon and Epona, of course.

The trip to the ranch was a slightly loud affair with the King's bickering with Impa added to Pipit and Groose's, but it was pleasant all the same. Rusl could only laugh at each outburst along with the coachman who was smiling away from his charges' nattering. Link's long ears could even pick up Impa's quiet admonishments to the King even as he brayed at her like a Bokoblin.

This is how Talon and Ingo knew they were coming, because both brothers were leaning against the posts of the ranch entrance, the rotund man smiling away under his mustache as the troupe neared.

"Hehe, by Hylia, I could hear you lot half-way across the fields," Talon laughed as they came to a halt inside the ranch. Rusl swung down and grasped the man's forearm in a strong grip, "How've you been, Rusl?"

Rusl laughed as he shook the man's hand, "Very well, in fact." He grinned, "Haven't you heard the news? I'm a new father!"

Talon guffawed in laughter, "That's wonderful to hear, man, trully wonderful! Uli must be happy, aye?"

"Tired," the Knight Commander grinned, "Colin keeps us both up at night sometimes when he's in a mood, but he's a blessing after so long without children."

King Daphnes chuckled as he came down from the carriage with his daughter in tow, "If the lad's anything like you were when we were younger, then you're in for a hell of a time, my old friend."

The rancher and commander laughed at the King's statement, "I seem to remember a pair of lads several years ago sneaking onto this very ranch, and getting chased around by our prized stallion." Talon said, narrowing his eyes at the pair. "Took us all night to get the old fellow off of you two."

Rusl would have commented but Zelda, being as excited as she was, rushed passed all of them to get to the corrals. "P-Princess!"

Talon chuckled as the young girl raced off, "Don't worry yourselves none, my daughter's out there with the herd tending the little mare of hers as we speak." he said as the young boys raced after the Princess. "Hey, lads, be sure to steer clear of the cattle pens, I've got a right mean bull holed up in there right now!"

Link only heard half of what the man said in his hurry to get to the corrals. He could already hear the familiar cry of the foal he had come to love so much. And he heard the sound of Malon's singing that was now accompanied by another voice that was undoubtedly Zelda's as he and the others came out onto the field where the horses were kept.

Zelda and Malon, the red-haired girl not having changed at all, were both standing around a pure white pony that was being pampered by both girls. She was a pretty little thing, Link had to admit, but he still loved the little foal that was nudging Malon's shoulder for her attention. Link smiled took from his pouch the little ocarina he'd received from Saria before he left, and played Epona's special song.

The little filly tossed her head, and ran right over to him, much to Malon's surprise. The little filly didn't usually warm up to anyone she didn't know so fast. But as she watched the little pony being petted by the boy in green, it was clear that the boy new what he was doing, given that he was treating the horse with sugar cubes, Epona's favorite treat, even more so than apples.

"Princess, who is that boy, there?" The girl asked, pointing in Link's direction. Zelda turned, her hands still petting her white pony as she looked to where Link was standing with the other foal.

Groose and Pipit had bumbled into the corral by now, and were both looking around for a pony of their own. Groose made to get close to Epona, but the little filly snorted and snapped at him, preferring Link's attention. "That's Link, one of Sir Rusl's Pages." She said, smiling at the boy as he gave his attention to the colt. "Father put him in his ranks because he fought against the Gerudo King after finding out he'd done something wrong to his people."

Malon looked at her in surprise, "Wow, he must be pretty good if he did that?"

Zelda gave a simpering sigh, a small blush coming to her cheeks, "Yeah, he was."

Malon smirked, "Hoho, is that a little crush I see, Princess?" The older girl teased, making the Princess turn beet red, "Aw, it _is_!"

"Is not!" Zelda squeaked, "And don't be so loud, he'll hear you!"

Malon's smirk widened, "Can I have him, then?"

"NO!" Zelda shouted before covering her mouth in embarrassment in front of a surprised Malon. "S-sorry, I - "

Malon crossed her arms as the Princess went about calming her pony having startled her when she shouted. "Wow, looks like it's more than just a little crush, huh?" She asked, "But don't you have suitors calling from all over the place? Those old fogies on your father's council won't let you near anyone without their say so."

Zelda blushed slightly, "W-well, even if he is a commoner, Mal, he's an apprentice to Sir Rusl, and the Knight Commander does have a chance at wedding a Princess of Hyrule...and Rusl has been thinking of choosing his successor, so..."

Malon whistled in appreciation, "Easy there, girl, that's a lot of planning just to hook a man, you know?"

"Better than the idiots that have been sending me love letters for the better part of two years," Zelda frowned, "Can you believe one of them actually sent me a portrait of himself? I'd never seen such a ridiculous thing in my life!"

Malon outright laughed at the girl who puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, "I hope you crossed him off the list?"

"After I sent back the portrait." Zelda confirmed, and burst into giggles right along with Malon.

As the day wore on, Link, having chosen Epona for his own, had a saddle just the right size for the young filly which could be adjusted as both of them grew until they were ready for a proper saddle. Groose and Pipit had chosen a mount as well, though they did look envious of the young bay may with the white mane. Zelda insisted on riding her little mare back to the castle, which her father agreed to, seeing as the girl would attended to by Rusl and his apprentices.

Link happily let Epona run as the little filly was as energetic as he remembered. Rusl was surprised at how well the boy handled her. It was obvious to him that he was far from being a stranger to riding.

Daphnes stopped their little caravan about half way back to let the children get used to their mounts, or in Zelda and Link's cases, let them play. It had been a long time since he'd seen a smile such as that on his daughter's face, and he wanted her to enjoy her birthday gift as much as the day would allow.

It was when they had stopped by a small creek to let the horses drink that something happened.

As Zelda was trotting her pony, Tess, to the carriage, out of the bushes came a titanic squealing roar. Rusl hadn't been close enough to act, or else the Princess would have been fine. But Tess bolted as the form of a giant animal crashed out of the forest. A Bulbo, a giant boar almost as big as the carriage, barreled out of the underbrush angrily. Zelda screamed as the monster gave chase, the boar gaining with frightening speed.

Impa had lept into action almost immediately, but the boar was far too fast for her to catch up in time. What she and the other two adults and two children witnessed then would forever remain with them, however. Link and his little Epona had raced after the Princess, Link having drawn a bow that looked too big for him to use, and tried to herd the Bulbo away from the Princess.

Yelling to get its attention, he struck it across the face with his bow, but the strike didn't seem to bother the animal in the least as it kept on after the Princess. Rusl, seeing no way to get to them in time, drew his own bow, aiming a shot at the beast, and struck it in the hindquarters. The Bulbo roared in anger and sped up, nearly over taking Zelda and Tess had it not been for Link.

The boy knocked an arrow, and turned his hand around on the string, drawing the bow back as far as he could, and let the arrow go right into the animal's right eye. The giant animal roared, rearing back on its hind legs, giving Zelda just enough time to reign Tess in, and ride to safety. Link and Epona weren't so lucky. The Bulbo trained its remaining rage-filled eye on the pair and tore after them. Link spurred the little filly on, knocking another arrow and turning about in the saddle.

He had little hope of drawing back enough to make a kill shot for the heart, but he was strong enough to kill it a different way. Drawing back as far as his short arms would allow, he loosed the arrow, and struck the charging beast right between the eyes.

The Bulbo went down, plowing a deep trench into the ground as it did, and fell dead.

Link righted himself and pulled Epona to a stop as Rusl and Impa ran/rode over to him.

"Are you alright, lad?!" Rusl yelled as he lept off of his horse to check the boy over while Impa went to inspect the beast.

Link nodded to the commander, "I'm alright. Is the Princess okay?"

"Fine," Impa said as she came back, "Just a little shaken up. That was a fine shot you made." She said, noting the size of the bow, "You've used that bow before?"

"I get by," Link said, scratching the back of his head bashfully.

Rusl snorted, "That's what he said about his fight with Ganondorf." He said, smirking, "Lad, you're going to do more than get by when I'm through with you."

It was then that Groose and Pipit rode over, smiling like loons. "Man, Link that was a great shot!" Groose roared, "Right between the eyes!"

"How did you get so good with a bow that's so big!?" Pipit wanted to know as Link blushed under their praise.

Daphnes came up to the boy, out of breath and pale, "Link, I owe you far more than you could ever imagine!" The King smiled, "Not only have you outted Ganondorf, but now you save my precious daughter!" He said as the girl in question slowly rode up to them, "How could I ever repay you?"

"Uh..." Link fidgeted uncomfortably until Zelda pulled up right next to him. Her eyes were shining like she'd just seen the goddesses themselves, and her cheeks were rosy pink.

"Thank you." Was all she said, and all the warning Link got before she leaned over in the saddle and planted a kiss right on Link's cheek. The boy's face lit up all the way to the tips of his ears as steam practically shot out of them.

"Looks like you don't have to repay anything, Daphnes," Rusl observed, chuckling, "Your daughter just did."

"So it would seem." Daphnes sighed.

Link promptly fell out of the saddle, red as a twenty-piece rupee.

Impa chuckled, "Now that's what I call twitterpated."

Groose and Pipit looked at each other, "What's twitterpated mean?" Groose asked.

"Dunno, must be an adult thing," Pipit reasoned, looking down at Link, whose eyes were swirling around dizzily. "Hope it's not contagious."

=x=

Ganondorf smiled as he looked at the creature in front of him, "So you see, the lands of Hyrule are far better than the sandy soils of Gerudo," he said as the beasts chattered among themselves.

The leader, a large, horned being with sickly green skin, and protruding belly, grunted, " _Tion vaabir gar gain de doing ibic?_ "(How do you gain by doing this?) He asked, " _Ner doten are ori'sol, elek, al yours are kisol. Gar could vaabiribic bat gar own easily._ " (My people are many, yes, but yours are few. You could this easily on your own.)

Ganondorf frowned, "Which is exactly what I want." He said to the beast, "My people are still allowed in Hyrule so that they may find suitable mates, but I am not. If I were to start something now, then I would certainly condemn them, which I cannot afford." He said, smiling at the beast nodded, "But your people are so many that they need more food than these lands can produce, so we are always at odds with each other. If you go to Hyrule, not only will you find plentiful food, but plenty of lands to establish your rule. When Hyrule falls, your people and mine will be at peace. We will live side by side as it should be. But I need your help because I have the eyes of the King on me, so I cannot do anything. What do you say?"

The horned-beast, growled for a moment, " _Taylir gar promise, bal vi shall vabiir as' As gar ask._ " (Keep your promise , and we shall do as you ask.)

Ganondorf grinned, "Excellent."

* * *

 _ **Really great turn out for the first chapter, and since it was such a success, here's the second!**_

 _ **Now, the answers to the questions asked by the previous chapter are as follows. Link's spoken grievance against Ganondorf was spoken in Sith, while the second dialect was spoken in Cheunh.**_

 ** _The language at the end of this chapter was yet another Star Wars language. Care to have a go at what race it's from?_**

 ** _Anyway, thank you all for reading, and please drop a review to let me know about this chapter. Reviews make my world go 'round!_**


	3. Chapter 3: Gohma's Pass

_**3:Gohma's Pass**_

* * *

The incident with the Bulbo on Hyrule Plains had raised Link up in the eyes of his two fellow Pages. Groose treated him a little better than he had before. The larger boy would often poke fun at Pipit because he was so much shorter than he was, but Link was an exception to the teasing. A point of fact was that Groose often urged Link to eat more so would grow off better as the young ginger had.

While Link appreciated the extra portions, he could barely eat all that the larger boy pushed at him, and shared it with Pipit at most times when they weren't working up large appetites after a training session with Rusl.

Pipit himself wanted to learn the languages that Link knew. However, when the boy wanted Link to write them down for him, it was discovered, much to the boy's embarrassment, that Link couldn't read...not well, anyway, though he had some knowledge of written languages, he couldn't read all that well because he never needed to in the forest.

Link's plight wasn't lost on the boy as Pipit took it upon himself to teach Link how to read properly. Rusl was delighted to hear of the pair's activity, and gladly asked the help of Horwell in the boys' spare time. Link, to his delight, found that he enjoyed the lessons. The best part about them was when Horwell took on the youngster's lessons, he got to study alongside Princess Zelda, much to the girl's delight.

Groose thought it was a waste of time. He could read just fine, as long as the book had pictures in it.

Meanwhile, Daphnes was waiting patiently to hear more from the Rito tribe beyond the Death Mountain range in the an area known as the Great Plateau. Little was known about the area, only that it was wild, and untamed land surrounded by high peaks, the highest being Mount Hylia, named for the goddess herself, and also the home of the bird-like people.

The King had high hopes for an alliance, but the message was not well received. As in not at all for not two days after the postman had left, he returned in failure. The path, he reported ruefully to the King, was far too dangerous for a person such as himself. He described it as a narrow pathway along the gorge connecting Death Mountain and the Great Plateau area. Across it was a small wasteland that went on for miles before one actually entered the land itself. According to the few Gorons that had been there, a traveler would have to pass through a dangerous mountain pas before entering the Rito's lands. Darunia himself couldn't blame the postman for turning around for it was filled to the brim with monsters of all kinds, and none of them small.

But it was that very pass that was the biggest hurdle. It was, in fact, an active volcano. The Goron chief had often spoken of the pass to the King of Hyrule because it was filled with amber that Gorons considered a delicacy, and other such stones that had value to both Gorons and Hylians. Normally, the Gorons would have made it easier to access since they were mining people, but the volcano was home to much more than precious stones.

Gohma.

The volcano was the nest of a monstrous species that neither the Gorons nor the Hylians had ever seen before. For as long as the Goron chief had lived, he had been warned not to go near those mountains. And it seemed that the rumors held some truth.

"What to do," the King muttered to himself as he, Olwan, Horwell, and Rusl sat in the council room. "It seems that every time we try to establish a new trade route, a new monster pops up right along with it."

"That's the truth," Rusl sighed, "Remember that problem we had with the Bokoblins when we first started speaking with the Gerudo?"

Owlan frowned, "That was a bad situation. How long did it take to get rid of them?"

"Years," Horwell muttered.

Daphnes sighed as he looked over the map, "And now we possibly have a new, large species of Gohma to deal with." He said, stroking his beard, "One that lives in a volcano will have have a high tolerance to immense heat." He said, thinking out loud of the possible strengths and weaknesses of such a creature.

"Hardened skin would be a likely outcome," Horwell put in, "Gohma are mostly spider-like here in Hyrule, but a beast being isolated from the normal forested areas that they like could make it evolve into an entirely new species set apart from the rest."

Rusl sighed, "Well, we won't learn anything just talking about it," he said, looking at the king, "My boys could also use the field experience, and Link already has some experience in dealing with large monster, seeing as he bested a monster, a Gohma no less. We'll head out and see if we can't map out the area, and maybe even meet up with the Rito."

Daphnes looked at his old friend, "Are you sure of that, my friend?" He asked, "The lads are just barely growing into their britches, let alone ready for long trek through the mountains."

Rusl shrugged, "They're old enough. Besides, I won't coddle them. A Knight's duty isn't always easy, nor is it safe. The incident with the Bulbo is proof of that," he said, reminding the King of the moment his daughter had come under attack. "Link will be an asset, though. Apparently he knows the Death Mountain area, and the best places to avoid danger."

"The boy needs to return the Kokiri Emerald, don't forget," Owlan said, reminding them all that the boy had kept the precious jewel on him at all times. He wouldn't let anyone touch it, not even Rusl.

Rusl nodded, "That he does, but this needs to be done regardless." He said, "This is a show of good faith and good will that the Rito, secretive and secluded as they are, can trust their neighbors."

Daphnes frowned, and sighed, "Just...just promise me you'll take care yourselves?" He pleaded, looking at his old friend worryingly, "Keep in mind, Rusl, that you're not as spry as you used to be. Not only that, but you've just recently become a father, and believe me, nothing can hurt a child, no matter how young or old they may be, like losing a parent. Young Colin will need you as he grows older. And the boys need your right now to act as their teacher, and as a substitute father. All of them are orphans, after all."

Rusl smirked, then began chuckling, "By Nayru's blue light, Daphnes, you should be writing that down!" He chortled, causing the two brothers to smile, and the King grimace, "You haven't spoken so eloquently since you drank half a barrel of wine at my wedding!"

Daphnes groaned, "Here I am worrying about you and the boys, and you go and make fun of me?" The King grumbled, palming his face in exasperation, "Give me back all the woes and worries I felt!"

Rusl grinned at the King, "No worries, old friend, we can drown both our sorrows over another keg when we get back," he said, rising from his seat, "Now I'd better go find those boys of mine before those councilors get wind of this and draw up some sort of ridiculous trade agreement."

=x=

Link, as it happened, was with Groose and Pipit again, and, by a happy circumstance, so was Princess Zelda. Link sat beside the girl as she placed a woven wreath of flowers atop his head while Groose and Pipit were having a play sword battle with wooden swords.

The four children were just outside the castle walls in the fields with their horses grazing nearby.

Zelda smiled as Link took the wreath off after a moment, blushing slightly as Groose and Pipit laughed at him. "You know, you really don't have to sit with me if you'd rather play with the other boys?" Zelda smiled patiently at the boy, "I really don't mind."

Link shrugged, "I don't mind it." He said truthfully. While she wasn't quite the Zelda he knew, a part of the woman she could become was still there. Her eyes, still wide and innocent, held the Wisdom she would gain when the Triforce of Wisdom awoke in her. "Back in the forest, we played a lot like this when we weren't working." He said, thinking back on his time with the Kokiri.

Zelda sighed as the boy gained a faraway look in his eyes, "You must miss it," she said, tucking her arms up under her legs and drawing her knees up to her chest, "I mean, if I had to leave my home and not be able to return, I know I'd miss everyone I knew dearly."

The boy in green sat back and looked up at a passing cloud, "It's...not all that bad." Link said, trying to ease her worries. "I mean, sure, I miss everyone, and all, but it's nice here, too." He said, "I'm a Hylian, anyway, so the forest would've eventually tried to take me. I couldn't live their forever."

"Horwell told me a little bit about the Lost Woods," Zelda nodded, "Is it true that there's some kind of magic there that turns people into Stalfos?"

Link nodded,"Yeah, I've seen it happen once or twice, and both times I wish I hadn't." He shivered as he remembered how the transformations took place, and the looks of fear on the peoples' faces when they realized what was happening. "Funny thing is, when I saw it, I felt horrible about not doing anything to help, but aside from Saria, the others just said those people had it coming."

Zelda bit her lip, "Everyone has their own views on things," the Princess sighed, "Look at me and my father. The councilors look at my father as more like a figurehead. And they look at me like a tool, just a stepping stone for the throne."

Link looked at her in surprise, "Don't you have a choice?"

Zelda gave a soft shrug of her shoulders, "I have my pick from among those on the council, or their sons if they're of age," she said, frowning, "And then there's the Knight Commander, or his son, if he had one of age."

Link frowned as well. This was much different than the first time around. Of course, after he'd traveled through time, Hyrule had been a very different place. Most of the nobles had been killed outright from what he understood. Zelda had gotten away thinks in no small part to Impa and undergone the Sheikah training. It was strange to think he would be going through this time so slowly. But it wasn't an unpleasant thought.

"So Rusl could become the king?" Link asked, thinking on it, "I think he'd be good at it."

Zelda grimaced, "Yes, but I don't want to marry someone so much older than me," she said, sighing and giving the boy a small smile, "You know, if you became the Knight Commander - "

"Boys!" Rusl called out as he entered the field with his horse in tow. "Time to get your gear. We're heading over mountains."

Pipit and Groose stopped their battle and came bounding over to where Link and Zelda were. "The mountains?" Link asked as his friends made their way to them. "Why are we going there?"

Rusl chuckled as the duo stood, and made a small bow to the Princess. "Her Highness's father wants to establish a relation with the Rito tribe over the Death Mountain valleys, and the postman doesn't want to venture so far into dangerous territory." He said, smiling at the boys' excitement, Groose's in particular.

"You mean we get to do something a real Knight would do?!" The boy grinned widely, "Aw, man, this is great! I finally get tos see some action!"

While Rusl laughed at the boy's enthusiasm, Pipit frowned at the older boy. "Groose, you do know where we're going, right?" The boy asked, "That pass is supposed to be really dangerous."

"So what?" Groose smiled, "I've never been outside Hyrule, not even Kakariko! This is great!"

Zelda was looking a little worried as she looked from Link to Rusl. "I-is it really that dangerous?"

Rusl looked down at the girl and smiled, "I won't lie to you and say it'll be an easy trek," the man said, kneeling down to sit at eye level with the young Princess, "It will take us around a month of travel, there and back again, if nothing happens, and if something does...well, you know me well enough that I'll never leave a comrade behind."

Zelda nodded, and looked at the young Hero, and surprised him. " _Swear kia nun anas tu valia atiduo?_ " (Swear to me that you will return?)

Link was surprised to hear the Princess speak the ancient tongue, but smiled all the same. " _Ch'ah tsucarah csei nah csarcican't vacosetahn vamci._ " (I promise that will come home.)

Zelda blushed happily as the boy made the promise, much to the confusion of other two boys, one of which only caught parts of what was said, while Rusl smiled at the pair and ruffled Link's hair.

"As I said, we'll be fine," the Commander said to the Princess, smiling still as the girl nodded to him happily, "And now I have to make sure of it, since Link made an oath in the Forest language. I don't want to make a liar out of him, now do I?"

=x=

By evening, Link and the others had made it to Kakariko village.

Once there, Rusl found them lodgings with the young woman Link knew to raise Cuccos, as well as care for their horses until their return. Link was grateful for that. Death Mountain was no place for a horse, let alone a small group of foals such as the ones Link and his friends rode, Rusl's large battle horse not withstanding.

"It's kind of you to do this for me," the girl, Anju, said as she watched Rusl and the boys till the soil just outside of her home. "You've already paid me much more than I should allow."

Rusl gave the a slight smile as he wiped his brow, "It's the least we could do," the man said as he watched his boys work for a moment, Link and Groose doing well, while Pipit seemed to be struggling. "How often is it that Knights actually get out his direction other than the guards? And you're putting up with my apprentices as well. A little garden work is nothing for us."

Anju nodded her thanks, "It's nice having a few extra hands around the house to help with the chores," she said, watching the children, "And the boys are very good, if anything a bit clumsy," she laughed as Pipit's hoe slipped out of his grasp and flew over Groose's head. The larger boy roared like an angry Moblin whilst shaking his fist at the smaller boy who was quick to retrieve the tool.

Link actually cracked a smile at the bickering pair.

It was a rare sight that Rusl had seen often showed up more around the Princess. Sighing, the Commander called the boys in for the day for an early start in the morning.

When morning came, Anju would find an extra bag of silver rupees on her kitchen table, courtesy of Rusl before they left. Link made his good-byes to Epona before they set out, giving her some sugar cubes to sweeten the parting before running to catch up to his friends.

The climb up Death Mountain was a slow one. Rusl was in no hurry to make the pass, but Groose was ever excited about the new sights, even the baren mountains of the Gorons. All of it was new to the boy.

As the may it further up, Link looked back over his shoulder and was treated to the sight of Hyrule far below them, the sight of Hyrule Caste in the distance appearing so small.

"A man can travel his whole life," Rusl said as he looked back at the sight as well, "See the world, and all it has to offer, and even then seeing something as grand as a view like this can still take a person's breath away."

Link agreed with him. Many a time when he still traveled, both as a child and an adult, sights such as the one he was viewing now were always what he treasured the most.

As they climbed higher, they saw no Gorons to meet them, save for the odd one rolling down the mountainside which very nearly squashed Pipit when he wasn't looking.

As the group rounded the entrance to the Goron's home, they kept moving. The mountain pass they sought was a narrow ledge along a wall that led deeper into the mountains than even Link had ever gone. He was surprised when Rusl pointed it out to them down below the cliff on which they stood.

"Well, boys, this is it," he said, taking a rope from his pack, "The pass will be narrow enough for us to get by on, but we'll need to watch our step, or else we could go over." He tied the rope around his waist and passed it onto Groose, "We'll tie ourselves together so we'll keep each other safe. Link, I want you on the very end since you're the smallest, Groose, you'll be right behind me."

The boys nodded as they all tied themselves off respectively.

The wind whipped by them as Rusl led the way across the wall. Behind him, Groose was looking pale as a sheet as he kept his back to the wall, trying to make himself smaller with each step he took. The black abyss that was the canyon between Death Valley and the Great Plateau.

Link was muttering curses under his breath in another language that Pipit didn't know, but the boy was agreeing with everything his friend was saying...even it he didn't understand a word of it, which was probably better on his behalf.

Groose, as they passed the canyon, was nervously looking about for anything to focus on aside from the bottomless pit below them, spotted something on the other side, scaling the wall of the canyon. "Wh-what is that?!"

Rusl looked down to where the boy was looking, and paled. Crawling slowly up the wall, on eight gigantic legs, was a giant, armored Gohma. Link swore loudly as he saw the creature. It was bigger than the one he'd killed inside the Great Deku Tree!

"No one move," Rusl intoned, "No loud noises, or else you'll attract its attention."

All four of them froze against the wall, not wanting to attract the monster's attention, especially when none of them were equipped to handle such a large beast. The gargantuan spider rose over the side of the canyon slowly, and passed over a large cave in the side of the gorge that they thought was the beast's lair, but when it came near...

...the four were in for a far nastier surprise.

As the Gohma moved over the cave, a roaring sound came from inside as the sound of many legs moving fast came. Then a pair of scissor-like jaws snapped around the middle of the monster. Another Gohma, a centipede if Link was any good judge, had snaked its way through the side of the canyon walls, and was now attacking the spider. The spider fought back with all that it had, but the new beast had all but sliced it in half with the first bite, and hauled the monster inside its lair to be eaten.

Groose was shaking like a leaf in the wind as the sounds of crunching and snapping continued for several minutes. Rusl patted the boy's shoulder and urged them on. Now he knew why the postman had turned back.

* * *

 _ **Not much I can say about this chapter except that it's too bad nobody had invented bug spray in Hyrule, yet. Great turn out for the last chapter, especially for those trying to guess the language of the Bulbins/Gerudo. Huttese was the popular guess, but sorry to say it was wrong again! XD**_

 _ **The answer, my lovely readers, is Mandalorian. **_

_**Now, the Rito, as I've seen, are more bird-like in Breath of the Wild than they were in Wind Waker, so, they'll have the same design in this story as in BotW, and they'll have their own language as well. Different lands, different Language.**_

 _ **Now, the next chapter will see just how much our Pages can do.**_

 _ **So Look forward to it, and don't forget to leave a review!**_


	4. Chapter 4: The Night Watchers

_**4: The Night Watchers**_

* * *

As a Princess of Hyrule, Zelda was, of course, expected to have frequent meetings with her potential suitors. That wasn't to say that she actually enjoyed them. In point of fact, she didn't care for any of her suitors. Not only were the boorish, but they tended to be long-winded, and slobbered all over her hand whenever she was forced to offer it up for a kiss.

But none were as repulsive as the son of Duke Thenardier. Like his father, the young man, of seventeen years, was ruthless, and arrogant to anyone he deemed beneath him. He was even rude enough to be little Commander Rusl for using mainly a bow as a weapon instead of his sword, what Zion Thenardier deemed to be a real warrior's weapon.

Zion was far too old to be considered a candidate for her future husband, herself only just reaching her eleventh year a week prior, but such was the way of royalty and nobility.

If she failed to choose a suitor, then Zion was first in line being the highest ranked noble aside from Rusl, but that man was already married, and well beyond her in years in his forties. Fortunately, since she was forced to meet with the pompous ass of a noble, she had another suitor in attendance, though she wouldn't consider him either, given his age, he was a better man.

He was also Rusl's second in command, Sir Roland Durandal, general of Hyrule's army.

The man was almost thirty, but he held himself as a respectable person, as well as an accomplished warrior, wielding a massive sword made for him by the Goron of Death Mountain. He was widely known for his prowess in battle against the Bokoblin hordes decades back as a young man, having earned a single scar across his face, which, in her opinion, made him quite handsome.

Still, with every perfection, came a flaw.

Roland was more military minded than anyone in the army, including Rusl, and his loyalties would always remain with the crown.

Getting him and Lord Zion in the same room together was not a good idea. Where Roland was loyal to a fault, Zion only saw power where the Princess was concerned.

"I still don't the point in waiting for the last minute, My Lady," Zion went on, "His Highness isn't getting any younger, and I'm sure he would love to see a grandchild before his time comes, so why not choose a husband?"

Zelda patiently sipped her tea as the young man spoke, all the while wishing she was elsewhere. "As I have said, Lord Zion, I'm still far too young to consider marriage. I've only just turned eleven, after all, and becoming with child wouldn't be healthy for someone my age."

Roland nodded, "Wise words for a potentially wise woman," the man said, casting a glare at the younger man, "Also, it is quite rude to not consider all of her candidates. Commander Rusl is training three young Pages, one of whom I believe held his own against the Gerudo King, Ganondorf." He said, not bothering with his tea. "A young man such as that would rival myself in the ways of the sword, but a mere boy held his own against him. That is something I should like to see."

Zelda's eyes brightened at this, and smiled at the General, "You must mean Link," she said, "Yes, he is the one that fought with the Desert King. He's also an accomplished horseman, and archer - "

"Pfft, archery," Zion scoffed, interrupting the Princess, "Such a cowardly art shouldn't even be allowed on the battlefield."

Roland scowled at the teen, "Say what you will about archery, Lord Thenardier, but when the times comes that you face an entire battalion of archers, let it be known that they can and will blot out the sky with their arrows, and you will be a pin cushion."

"My men would protect me," Zion said without care, "My knights are well trained in the art of defense."

Roland's hand twitched as if he wanted to reach for his sword, "Sacrificing your own men to protect yourself is the peak of cowardice should you ask me. And do not forget, the only reason that they protect you is because of your father."

Zion's face turned as red as his attire, "Why you insolent li - "

"Now, now," Impa's voice came as she appeared in the room, startling all but Roland, who had come to know the Sheikah woman well in battles passed. "This isn't the place for such talk. It is getting late, and it wouldn't do for the Princess to be up later than her appointed bed time."

Roland dutifully rose from his seat, "You are right, Lady Impa, and with Rusl away on mission, I need to keep the men properly trained and ready in case of another Bokoblin raid."

Zion looked ready to protest, but a glare from the red-eyed warrioress silenced him. Looking at her was akin to looking into the eyes of a dragon...and blinking. "My father has asked that I be home in time for a meeting with his men." He said as he rose, giving a short bow to the Princess, "Goodnight to you, My Lady."

"Stay well, Princess," Roland said as he turned to leave, making sure that Thernardier was ahead of him.

Zelda gave them a polite wave before the doors to her sitting room closed, and finally slouched as the entire meeting came crashing to a close. She was exhausted.

"Remind me why I must keep this up?" She asked of her guardian.

Impa chuckled, "Because you must, eventually, choose a husband, and among them, those two are the top candidates, though I dare say that Sir Roland is a better man than that _guerfel(fool)_ , Thenardier." She admitted as she took up Zion's seat, which had been closest to the Princess. "But I dare say that you have your sights set on someone that is not yet a candidate." Her lips curved up in a smile as the girl in front of her blushed.

"Is it wrong to want someone I could love?" Zelda asked more to herself than her guardian, "I feel as though I'm being selfish by placing my bets on Link, or the fact that he could become the commander should Rusl choose to step down."

"Let us not forget that he has competition," Impa pointed out, pouring herself a cup of tea, "Groose or Pipit could easily become the Knight Commander. It'll all depend on Rusl's choice." She said and took an appreciative sip, "But, if I may be so bold, I do not believe seeking love is wrong. Forcing it, however, is."

Zelda looked at her for a moment in horror, "I'm not forcing anything!"

Impa outright laughed at the girl as she puffed out her cheeks in irritation, "I did not say you were, my dear," she said, "I merely meant to say that you should consider Link's feelings. The boy is all but ignorant to the ways of Hylians, being raised by Kokiri as he was. That isn't to say he's stupid," she said as the girl huffed, "Quite the contrary, he's very intelligent, and learns quickly with each lesson Master Horwell gives the two of you. But it's too soon for him to know what love is. Unlike you, he's been raised to know the ways of the Kokiri, and the love they know is a love of brothers and sisters. They never age, Zelda."

Zelda looked down at her lap, "So he might see me as a sister?"

"Perhaps, but your sixteenth birthday is a long way off yet," Impa said, not mentioning that the boy often looked at her in a way that did not think was appropriate for a brother and sister. It was as if he was looking through her, yes that was it. He wasn't looking at Zelda as she was now, but at the woman she would become. "You won't be forced to choose someone until then. And even then he could be challenged for your hand before your eighteenth birthday when the marriage would have to happen."

Zelda sat back with a sigh, "I don't care for Zion's attitude," she said, frowning, "Not in the least, but he's the only one close to my age that there is. Aside from Rusl's Pages, who else would I have to choose from?"

Impa smiled at the girl, "I have no doubt that, given time, Link will understand." She said, and finished her tea, "Come, my child, it's time for bed."

Zelda nodded, "Could someone draw a bath for me? I always feel the need to wash after Lord Thenardier visits." She said, shivering.

=x=

Rusl sat looking into the embers of their campfire that evening going over the day's events. They had made it across the gorge safely, but the sight of the Gohma had rattled his boys. Link even showed signs of fear. The three boys now slept huddled together, Groose snoring loudly as usual while Pipit and Link slept fitfully.

Rusl was half-tempted to turn them back, but the thought of failure was not an option for him. Though he had the boys to consider. Groose had been scared out of his mind at the sight of the large Gohma crawling up the walls, but more so when the other species had attacked and devoured it. The poor boy had been both embarrassed by his fear, and not blamed.

A giant beast was one thing to deal with, but an entire ecosystem? Rusl had to wonder if it was even worth moving on.

"Rusl?" Link sat up, rubbing his eyes sleepily, "What's wrong?"

Rusl snorted, "It's nothing, Link, really." He assured him, "I just need to figure out where we go from here."

Link got out of bed, and went the stoke the fire, tossing a few dried pieces of wood into the embers. "Do you know what that thing was that attacked the Gohma?"

Rusl shrugged, "Not sure. It was a sub-species I've never seen before." He said, scratching the back of his head, "The postman said that this place was full of large arachnids, but he didn't say anything about that kind of monster prowling around."

The fire stirred to life under Link's care, "Gohma are territorial to their own kind," he said, thinking back to the creature he'd killed in his home, "But I've never seen one that big, or like it. The most I've ever seen have been spiders."

"Both of them were the largest of any species I've ever seen," Rusl sighed, looking out into the darkness, "It makes me wonder what else is out here. We've seen one species that's unknown, but what if there're more?" He shook his head, "I can't put you three in that sort of danger, not when you're all so young."

Link looked up at him, smiling, "I've been in bad situations before," he said, "Gohma are easy to kill if you know where to hit them."

"The eyes," Rusl nodded, "But that thing was armored."

Link shook his head, "Everything has a weakness," he said, "And we might not even run into it again."

Rusl conceded the point, smiling at the boy, "Yes, you're right," he said, giving the boy a look, "I just don't want one of my boys getting hurt if I can help it." He smiled, "I think of all of you as my own, Link. Whether or not by blood or bond, you are just as much my sons as my little boy back in Hyrule."

Link looked a little shocked to hear that. "I've never had a father," he admitted with some embarrassment, "Growing up...I only had Saria, who raised me."

Rusl smiled at the boy, "I think I'd like to meet her someday," he said, "After all, I think she'd like to know the person that caring for her son."

"I think she would like you," Link admitted, his left ear twitching slightly, "Di-did you you hear something?"

Rusl stood, reaching for his sword, "No, I didn't...and that's the problem." He said, moving over to the fire to pick up a torch, "Wake the others."

Link went for his friends and shook Pipit awake, "W-what?" Pipit asked, "What's going on?"

"Something's wrong," Link hissed, moving over to Groose, "Groose, come on! Wake up!"

"G-Go 'way," Groose snorted, rolling over, "I'm sleepin'."

"Darn it, Groose!" Pipit snapped and kicked the older boy in the backside, rolling him out of his bed.

Groose yelped and came awake immediately, jumping to his feet in anger, "What the hell, Pip!"

"Trouble!" The boy snapped.

"Boys, come over here to me," Rusl hissed at the trio, "We've got company." He tossed the torch onto the ground. Scuttling away from the light was a small, one-eyed creature with pincers and a single curled tail raised above it. Rusl cursed under his breath; he knew this beast, and they never hunted alone. "Aracha!"

The moment he said the name of the creature, more moved toward the light of the fire. One of them lept at the man, only to be struck down by his sword, while the rest made for the boys. Link slashed at one with his small sword, and bashed another with his shield. Pipit doing the same, while Groose was knocking them around with a spiked club instead of a sword.

"Don't let them sting you!" Rusl cautioned as he stabbed another Aracha, "You'll be paralyzed!"

There weren't a large number of the creatures, but the battle was no less fierce as he watched his three boys fight their first real battle. Link and Pipit got the last of them as they made a last bid for a meal. Link sliced his in half as Pipit kicked the other into a wall before impaling it with his sword. Rusl kicked a dead Aracha away from them as he turned and surveyed his Pages. Groose was surrounded by a pile of smashed and crushed monsters, while Link and Pipit were ankle deep in parts and organs.

"Well done, you three," he said, sheathing his sword, "I hate to say it, though, but we should press on from here. All of these dead bodies will attract scavengers. And I would rather not see how big they might be." He said, moving the take another torch, "Pack up and grab a torch, we need to move fast."

The boys were quick to pick their things up, and follow after the man. Groose looked back at the two smaller boys, "Sorry about not waking up," he said, frowning, "I nearly got us killed."

Pipit knocked him in the shoulder with his shield lightly, "Don't start with the guilt. You always do that," he said, shaking his head, "Besides, I didn't know about it until Link woke me up." He said, turning to look at the boy, "Thanks for that, by the way."

Link blushed a little, "Don't mention it."

"Where are we going?" Groose asked Rusl as they moved on, "I mean, how do we find the Rito?"

Rusl pointed on ahead of them with his torch, "There should be a mountain cavern that takes us to the other side," he said, keeping his pace slow, "On the other side will be the Great Plateau. From there, it's a short hike to Mount. Hylia."

"You mean the volcano?" Pipit asked from the back, "I heard that the Gohma the postman was worried about was a volcano dweller, wasn't it?"

Rusl nodded, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it, lad," he said, sighing, "Right now, the only way we can go is forward."

And move forward they did. As the night wore on, no other Aracha appeared, but Rusl kept a constant vigil, not wanting to be ambushed again. All the while, Groose and Pipit kept talking back and forth to keep themselves awake.

"Hey, Link," Groose said after a while, "I gotta ask; is there somethin' going on with you and the Princess?"

Link looked ahead at the boy, "What do you mean? What kind of something?"

Rusl chuckled, "He means to ask if you're courting our fair Princess." The Knight Commander couldn't have asked for a more entertaining sight than the flustered look on Link's usually stoic face.

Link looked down at his shuffling feet, "...m'not courting her..." he said in a very small voice.

"Come on, Groose, don't tease him," Pipit scowled at the larger boy, "Besides, only lords and their sons could court the Princess."

"Not so," Rusl laughed, "One of you could court her if you wanted, since you could take my place someday."

Groose turned back and grinned at the smallest member of the band, "See, Link, no worries, huh?"

"But I'm not - "

Rusl held up his hand in a fist, "That's enough chatter, boys, we need to get moving," he said, and picked up the pace, "Dawn's a long ways off, and we need to cover a lot of ground before we can rest again."

Unbeknownst to the small band, they were being watched from above by more than just giant insects. " _Korjin fic dao farther ir ei Hylian fic arsian._ " (They have come farther than any Hylian has before.) Said one of the beings watching them from far above.

" _Qa toyid korjin karau or geo?_ " (What could they want from us?) Asked the second being. Both of them stood tall, around seven feet from taloned foot, to feathered crown, with blue/white feathers, and large beaks for noses.

" _Jinqa ohk ar bee?_ "(Who is to say?) The first said with a shrug of its shoulders, looking down upon the troupe, " _Do sahak tahan cea korjin kehrecan geo si'user._ " (But I do not think that they mean us harm.)They flared out their wings and took to the air, unimpeded by the night as their eyes were adjusted to the darkness. " _Gan cahsinark imhalyan toe a buh jorhi._ " (We will watch for a while longer.)

Link's ears, sharp as they were, did not catch the sound of the winged beings taking flight above them, nor did his eyes catch the shadows gliding across the moon as the night wore on.

As dawn came, the young boys were exhausted from the long trek, and hungry. Rusl stopped them on level ground, easily able to see in all directions if anything were to attack them as the took rest.

' _Two days in,_ ' the commander thought as he looked over the boys, ' _And we're already on our last legs._ ' The rations were still fine as far as they needed, and if they reached the forested area beyond the mountains, they would be able to hunt for food. But the long night trek had taken a heavy toll on the boys. Link wasn't showing it, but he could tell from the dark circles under his eyes that he was just as tired as the other boys, who were already dozing off without eating.

He passed around bread slices, and dried meat for the boys to eat, and let them have water from the canteens, "You've all done very well." He said, hoping to lighten their spirits, "After you've rested enough, we'll press on. The mountain's just a little further," he said, pointed to the smoking mountain with his dagger, "In a few hours, we'll be on the other side, and the Rito just another day after that."

Groose looked up at him sleepily, "What about that monster we saw in the canyon?"

Rusl sighed, "We may see it again, but then again, we may not." He said, shaking his head, "Between the four of us, we could take it down if the need arose."

Pipit frowned, "After what it did to that Gohma?" He asked, sighing as he looked at Link, "What chance do we have?"

Link looked at his friend and smiled tiredly, "I killed a Gohma before coming into Hyrule," he said, sighing, "But it was smaller than those things were."

"Gohma," Rusle said, gaining their attention, "all share one weakness. Their eyes are right in front of their hearts, not matter where it is on the body. Destroy the eye, you destroy the heart." He said, making Link nod in confirmation, "All of them are physical fighters, and like to get in close, so you'll have plenty of shots at it, more so if Link can land a shot with that bow of his."

Link nodded, taking the small bow from his pouch, "I can get by with this."

"Says the guy that shot a Bulbo right between the eyes," Groose said, smirking at him, and heft his club, "I can try to fight with this, but it's way too small to do any real damage."

Rusl reached over and patted the oldest boy's shoulder, "You'll do fine," he said, smiling at them all, "You all will. Now rest, we'll need our strength for tonight."

=x=

Zelda awoke slowly, and much earlier than usual as dawn was just breaking. Something had made her restless during the night. It felt as though something was coming...something dark.

As she pondered this, there came a knock at her door, "Princess?" It was Sir Roland, "Forgive me for waking you, but your father has called a war meeting."

Zelda hurriedly hopped out of bed, and pulled on a robe as she went to the door, "Why has he called a war meeting?" She asked the General as she peeked through the door, the man averting his eyes from the young girl's unkept state.

"A large number of unknown Blins was reported moving into Hyrule by the night watch," he said, "No one's been reported hurt, or missing, yet, but with such a large number, it's only a matter of time before fighting breaks out."

Zelda nodded, "I'll be there as soon as I'm decent," she told the man, "Would you tell Father for me?"

"Of course, My Lady," he said with a short bow as he left the girl to dress.

Zelda closed the door and set about dressing herself as quickly as possible. This explained the unease she felt during the night. If a large number of Blins was making its way across Hyrule, then of course she would know. Healing and foresight had always been a gift of the royal family's women, and Zelda had yet to be wrong with her visions.

"Blasted corsets," she grumbled as she fumbled with strings at her back, "I'm already as thin as a water reed, so why do I need to be thinner?"

"Because it's proper?" Impa said as she appeared in the room, scaring the life out of the Princess once more.

"Darn it, don't do that!" Zelda squealed as she slipped and fell on the floor.

Impa chuckled help the girl to her feet, "I'm sorry, my little one, but you can't begrudge an old woman her fun," she said, and turned the girl about to help her with the strings, "Really, though, these things are torture devices."

"Try wearing it," Zelda snipped as she held her breath, "Is there any word from the border guards?"

Impa shook her head, "Nothing substantial, yet, but it's strange that no one's been hurt, yet." She said, looking at the girl while she searched for an appropriate dress. "I know the creatures that have invaded, and they are far from friendly, and they are far more intelligent than the average Blin."

"Are they?" Zelda asked as she pulled a dress over her head, "I've never heard of a smart Blin."

"Bulblins are very smart," she said as the girl finished dressing, "They also ride Bulbos, and are dead shots with a bow."

Zelda frowned as she slipped into her shoes, "Then we need to tell my father as soon as we get there." She said, not bothering to put her cap on, letting her hair flow free save for a simple hair band. She strode out of her room with Impa right beside her.

The council room was large enough to host all of Hyrule's ranking officers, including Duke Thenardier, a brutish man more ruthless than even his son was known to be, and absolutely merciless on the battlefield. His son was known for using a small hand-and-half sword, but the boy's father used a large broad sword, and was immensely powerful.

King Daphnes, when Rusl wasn't around, relied on Sir Roland second, and Duke Thenardier third, both men being valued warriors. As Zelda entered the room with Impa it was to find the three men arguing with the remaining councilors.

"For the last time, we need to strike first before anyone is hurt by these monsters!" Lord Aris, a thin, whisp of a man with a thin beard and mustache roared, pounding the table, "With a horde of monster stalking the lands, we could very easily be seen as weak, and an easy target for neighboring kingdoms! What if Onox decides to have a go at us?"

Roland sighed as the man continued his rant, "We do not know what these beasts are, as such we do not know their weakness, or their strengths."

"For once, I agree with Sir Roland," Thenardier said, "To know an enemy is to defeat an enemy. If we are to route these creatures, then we need to know what we are up against."

Zelda made her presence known then, moving to stand next to her father, "Father, Impa says she knows these creatures," she said, catching their attention. She motioned for Impa to step forward.

She gave a curt bow to the King, and the nobles, "My King," she said, "Members of the council," she said, greeting all of them, "The beasts that Sir Roland's men have reported are a race known as Bulblins." She said, letting the name hang in the air. "They are small, but they are intelligent. In small numbers, they are easily bested, but in enmase, they are formidable." She informed the council, gaining a few nods from the nobles. "They ride giant boars called Bulbos, a beast some of you are familiar with, I'm sure, and are dangerously accurate with a bow." She said, "They are also led by a large member of their tribe, very large. His mount is larger than most Bulbos, with large horns and tusks."

"What precautions should we take," the King asked, looking at the woman, "And can we defeat them?"

Impa sighed, "The Bulblins are strangers in this land," she said, adopting a thinking pose, "And their numbers are great...they did not come here for a mere raid, they came here to conquer. They will not stop until the last of them is dead."

Sir Roland sighed, "So it is a fight, then?"

"It would seem so," Thenardier said with a small smile, "These creatures won't find us so easy to best as they wish."

Sir Roland looked at the King, "Your orders, Majesty?"

The King sighed and looked around the table, his eyes landing on his daughter. "Impa, I want you to instruct my daughter in how to defend herself," he said, much to the girl's delight, "Sir Roland, muster the army and have them move out to protect the surrounding villages. The castle is well-defended by the walls, but the people that live outside are vulnerable to attack."

Roland bowed, "It will be done, My King."

"Thenardier," the King said, turning to the Duke, "I want you take a small portion of the army to do a scouting mission, not enough to leave us vulnerable, but enough that should a fight break out you can defend yourself."

"With permission, Your Highness," Thenardier said, with a short bow, "Would you allow my son to take the lead, as I believe he needs experience in battle to become a better successor to me?"

Roland looked at the man, "I realize that Zion is in need of experience, but is this really the time?" The man asked, "Surely it would be better to wait until a better opportunity arises?"

"T'is a simple scouting mission," Thenardier said without worry, "If my son cannot handle it, then he is in need of more than just experience to take my place one day."

The King sighed, "If that is what you want, Duke Thenardier, then I shall allow it, but do not be cross with me if your son takes harm," he said, making the man nod.

"It will be no fault of yours if my son comes to harm," the Duke said, "And I thank for this much needed experience."

The King sighed once more and looked at his council, "To war."

* * *

 _ **Things are picking up with Link's group as the come across their first hurdle in the form of Aracha, and it appears as though they're being watched from above. Zelda and friends are in trouble back home as Ganondorf's Bulblin hordes move across Hyrule.**_

 _ **Trivia time: Obvious Question: The Language of the Rito: Hint, not Huttese.**_

 _ **Question Two: What anime were the thre Characters from in this chapter? Hint: All the same anime.**_

 _ **Don't forget to review!**_


	5. Chapter 5: Feathered Friends Horned Foes

_**5: Feathered Friends**_

 _ **Horned Foes**_

* * *

The deeper Link and the others went into the mountains, the more barren things became. Water turned to acid and bubbled up from the ground, undrinkable, melting anything it touched. Groose almost took a drink from one such pool, and would have if Link hadn't stopped him, tossing a small twig into the pool, and watched it, with growing horror, as the small piece caught fire and melted away into nothing.

They were running out of time.

Rusl knew this, and so did Link. It had been three days since the incident with the Aracha, but what they thought would be a short hike through a mountain cavern had turned out to be impossible. It was filled with smaller creatures similar to the monster they had seen while crossing the valley gorge.

While crossing over the plains to get to the cavern, Rusl had been misfortunate enough walk by one of their burrows, and the creature had surged out, snapping its jaws right around his boot heel. Groose had lept into action right away and bashed it in the head with his club, and freeing the Knight Commander's foot.

And now, thanks to the having to go around the plains, they were running low on both food, and water.

The trek had taken them high into the mountains in hopes of finding a path down into the forested areas beyond them. With so little left to eat, however, they had slowed down to a crawl.

Groose was the only one that was doing better than the other two boys because of his strength. Rusl was only just fairing slightly better, but they would soon need food to keep going.

As they crested a hill, Link looked up toward a dead tree, and quickly drew his bow back, loosing an arrow. Rusl heard a startled squawk before a large bird hit the ground at the base of the tree.

Rusl looked from the bird to the boy for a moment before breaking out into a grin, "Well done, Laddie!" He crowed, moving to retrieve the bird, noting that it was a young Kargarok. The golden feathers of the bird were beautifully lustrous for such a young bird, but that made them no less valuable to being such as the Rito. "Groose, see if you can get some kindling from the shrubbery, while I get this thing cleaned up," he said as the boys set about the chore, "In a bit of time, we'll have ourselves a fine meal, thanks to your sharp eyes, Link!"

Link blushed under his praise as he set about looking for wood to make the fire, but stumbled across another find. A small patch of fruit growing in the ashen, sandy soil of the volcanic mountain. Curious, he picked one of the large fruits, and sliced it open, finding it filled with liquid, and reddish-orange meat inside. He took a small taste from the tip of his finger and found the liquid to be sweet, almost like honey, only it flowed from the fruit like water.

Link was delighted to find that the meat was just as sweet as the juices inside, and quickly gathered up a large armful of the fruits to bring back to the makeshift camp. As he came back to the camp, Rusl was building a fire pit while Groose and Pipit were piling wood next to the stones. The man chuckled when Link dropped his bounty next to them as the other two boys picked up one of the fruits each, and split them open. "A fine job, my boy," he said, setting wood into the pit, "A very fine job."

"They're full of water," Pipit said, his chin dripping with juice, "But it tastes sweet."

Rusl chuckled at the boys as they ate, taking a slice for himself, "They're called hydromelons," he said, relishing in the taste and cool juice, "They'll grow in hot and dry areas without much trouble, and the best thing is, they grow fast. It's how I survived when I was in deserts, or dry places without water, or food." Looking at the youngest of the troupe, "As I said, well done, Link."

Link nodded as he bit into his fruit, "I know how to stay alive."

Rusl nodded, not pressing the boy. He knew he had grown up in harsh conditions thanks to his observations of him. Instead, he set about making the fire, and spitting the bird over the flames, "Link, you've impressed me greatly on this journey," he said, smiling at the boy, who blushed once more as his friends turned toward him, all of them grinning, "If you weren't so young, I'd ask you to take your oath as a Knight as soon as we returned."

"Oath?" The three boys said in wonder.

Rusl chuckled again, and placed his right fist over his heart, "A Knight is sworn to valor. His heart knows only virtue. His blade defends the helpless. His might upholds the weak. His word speaks only truth. His wrath undoes the wicked." He quoted, a smile on his face as he recited the very oath he had taken as a young man. "When a Page becomes a Knight, they swear themselves to this oath," he said as the boys listened with great interest.

"I heard my father was a Knight," Pipit said, smiling sadly, "When he left us, my mother struggled for a long time to keep us fed. The house was always dirty, and she was always so tired." He said in an almost shameful tone, "I was too small to know she was trying to help me, and just wanted her attention."

"What happened?" Groose asked.

Pipit shook his head, his eyes tearing up, "I came home from school one day and...well, there were a lot of people there." He said, looking down at the ground, "Mother had been gathering berries from the woods to make a cake for my birthday...the mayor said it was a Moblin that got her."

Rusl grunted as he turned the spit to cook the bird evenly, "I heard about that," he said, "Sir Roland was the one that killed the beast after hearing about it. Saddens me to think that something like that could happen under our watch."

Groose sighed and placed his hands behind his head, looking up at the smoke-filled sky, "Count yourself lucky, Pipit. I don't remember my mom, or my old man." He said, "I lived in the orphanage for a long time before I got tired of it, and started living on the streets. If Rusl hadn't found me, I'd probably still be fighting for a loaf of bread."

Pipit looked over at Link, "Do you remember your parents, Link?"

Link sighed, his ears drooping, "I was abandoned at the base of the Great Deku Tree when I was a baby, so no," he said, looking at the flames, "All I've ever known was the love and freedom of the forest. My mother was Saria, leader of the Kokiri. And my father was the Great Deku Tree himself. They taught me all I needed to know to survive, and the Great One even taught me how to speak different tongues aside from the Hylian and Farore's tongue."

"So that's why you speak so many languages without being as book-smart as you'd like," Rusl nodded, "Deku Trees are wise beings, and speak may different languages. Having one of them teach you is a rarity. Calling one a father is even more so."

"And Ganondorf killed him," Link scowled, "I was with him when he died. He said a great evil was coming, and that I had to warn the King...but when I saw Ganondorf...I just..."

Rusl held up his hand, "Say no more, Lad," he said, "Losing a father, and a friend is nothing short of a tragedy, and you saved the Kingdom from allying itself with a monster."

Silence reigned over the camp then, with only the occasional sizzling pop of the drippings from the bird hitting the flames. Rusl removed it from the fire after a while, testing the meat with his dagger, "Ah, it's ready." He said, and passed it around for the boys to take their pick, "Eat up, lads, there's plenty here for everyone."

=x=

Zelda lunged at the Sheikah woman with her blade, only to have said woman side step, her leg held out, and send her tumbling to the ground, spitting grass from her mouth. "Now, was that aimed at me?" Impa asked with a chuckle as the young Princess rose to her feet. She was dressed in a traditional Sheikah chest guard and tights, and wielded a thin Zora blade not unlike a rapier. The girl's hair was undone from its usual cap, and fell freely around her face as the girl tried her hardest to at least land a blow on her mentor...or sensei as the Sheikah woman had insisted being called.

Zelda got back to her feet, a fierce look in her eyes, and took her stance.

Impa faced her, her arms crossed, "Remember, my little one, do not rush in blindly," she said, circling the girl, "Watch for any sign of an opening, and be quick to take it."

"Yes, Sensei," Zelda breathed out, tired and sweaty from the workout she was being put through. In the three days since the war meeting, the girl had been put through her paces. Of course she kept herself fit, but her daily exercise routine was nothing compared to the combat training of the Sheikah woman. Impa was leagues ahead of her in terms of speed and power, and well beyond her reach in experience.

If she was to make it through her training, then she needed to go beyond her own limits.

"Ha!" Zelda yelled out, aiming for the woman's left hip, then darted over to the right, swinging her blade at her right side. Impa simply caught the blade on the edge of her finger, a smile on her face.

"Well done," she smiled at the girl as she stepped back. "You're getting better. I dare say you could take down a Bokoblin without much trouble now. But anything other than that would see you being roasted over a fire."

Zelda, in a very un-Princess-like manner, stuck her tongue out at the woman. "It's better than those stupid ballet dance lessons Father used to make me do," she said petulantly, "Has Zion found anything yet?"

Impa scowled, "Zion hasn't found anything," she said with a sneer, "The idiot isn't even trying, just sitting out there enjoying himself with a few local...villagers."

' _Harlots,_ ' Zelda translated silently with a sigh. It was a good thing that she had mentally crossed Zion off of her list of suitors long ago. It was well known that he frequented brothels, and bedded his maids on a daily basis. Zelda was no fool when it came to the nobility, or lack there of. Many of her suitors would be unfit in the eyes of her mother if she was still around.

' _No_ ', she thought, ' _I keep thinking one of them will make a real man out of themselves, but I keep thinking about -_ '

"If you're quite done wool-gathering," Impa said, bringing her out of her daze, "We have matters to attend to."

Zelda nodded, sheathing the small blade, "What shall we work on next?"

Impa smiled, and took a fighting stance, "Hand to hand."

Zelda smiled in delight, taking a similar stance to her sensei's, and sprang forward. Impa caught the tiny fist thrown at her with ease and threw the Princess over her shoulder with a shriek. Zelda landed on her back with an ' _Omph!_ ' as Impa stared down at her with her hands on her hips, and a smirk on her lips, "Now you're just being reckless, my little one," she said, smiling, "I didn't even say start, yet."

Zelda frowned and stuck her tongue out again before flipping back to her feet.

Meanwhile, above them, the King was watching his daughter's progress, seeing her transform from his beautiful little princess, to a warrior right before his eyes. His advisers had been against the idea of teaching the girl combat skills, but with the unknown number of enemies lurking, Daphnes did not want to take the chance that his little girl would be left without the means to defend herself.

Sir Roland had not reported anything strange, nor had the young lord, Zion, reported anything from their posts. Really, how could a horde of monsters be so easy to miss?

Impa had implied that they were not quiet creatures, and very war-like. If they were looking for a fight, then what was stopping them?

He looked out across the town, sighing. "Why can we not remain in times of peace?" He wondered aloud, looking back down at his daughter, "Why must our children be trained for war so soon?"

"My King," said a voice behind him, revealing an aged Knight, "We've just gotten word from Sir Roland."

"And?" The King questioned.

"A large herd of Bulbos was spotted due North of Kakariko Village. When Roland went to investigate, he found that their were Blin tracks mixed in with the herd." He said, "He believes that the Bulblins are moving in the guise of Bulbo herds, staying within their numbers to remain hidden from sight."

The King nodded, "I see...Impa did say that the beasts were highly intelligent...have Sir Roland track down any large herds, and find out if the Bulblins are camping somewhere nearby. If that is the case, then he is to scatter the herd, and take out as many as the Bulblins as possible before retreating. Send word to Captain Zion Thenardier that he is to do the same. Also, have Gondo get to work in the forge. When Sir Roland returns, he is to be presented with the Royal Claymore, and be inducted as a Royal Guard alongside Sir Rusl."

"It will be done, Sire," the Knight bowed and left.

The King sighed, "Well, now we have a lead." He said, and continued watching his daughter being thrown across the courtyard.

=x=

The four travelers had long since finished their first real meal in days long ago, and had all dozed off in exhaustion. Even Rusl found himself sleeping against the trunk of the dead tree Link had shot their meal from.

Link was curled up against a rock close to where Pipit and Groose were snoring away. The mountainside they had stopped on was safe enough for Rusl's liking, and felt the boys needed to sleep off their tiredness. The hot food would help them when they woke during the night once more.

Link, however, was not fully asleep.

The sun was just beginning its descent over the horizon, the sunlight glinting off of the golden feathers Rusl had harvested from the Kargarok. Link had thought to give them to Zelda as a souvenir of their journey when Rusl handed them over to him, but it was these very feathers that attracted the attention of someone else.

Link's long ears twitched at the sound of short, stubby wings being flapped. His left eye still open out of habit, the boy caught sight of two bird-like feet touch down clumsily near his pack on which the feathers sat. The being in his line of sight was short, covered in brown and white feathers, and had a large beak for a nose and mouth not unlike a falcon or eagle.

This, he hazarded a guess, was a young Rito.

The Rito was about Link's size as far as he could see, and carried a small ornate sword at his hip which actually looked too large for him. He was eyeing the feathers sitting atop Link's travel pack. He noticed Link's one eye partially open, and started for a moment, staying stone-still. Link made no motion to reveal he was awake to the bird-like being as he waved a feathered hand in front of his face, even going so far as to mumble something as if he were sleeping. A timid smile came to the boy's beak as he made to take the feathers.

" _Cea ohk dos xasa'an, da ktan?_ " (That's called stealing, you know?) Link spoke, using the dialect of the Zoras, hoping the rumors of the Rito being descendants of the water tribe to be true.

He wasn't disappointed as the youngster started at his voice, going rigid. The Rito-child looked at him to see both of the young Hylian's eyes wide open, and looking at him. It wasn't a threatening look, but a curious one as the two youngsters stared at each other. The Rito looked down at the feathers in his hands guiltily, " _Tilkoran san._ " (Forgive me) He said as Link sat up, crossing his legs underneath him, " _Ceu ohk clo kkateir ar sei fonol,_ " (These are very special to my people) He said, placing the feathers back, " _Do karau ar boo korjin ar eu do wolha yelniyo._ " (I wanted to give them to someone I care about.)

Link smiled at that, " _Dan toyid fic korjin._ " (You can have them) He said, making the boy look at him in wonder, " _Korjin ohk dura ar boo ar veu Do babee, vil Do babee ar boo korjin ar dan ootay anenata._ " (They are mine to give to whom I wish, and I wish to give them to you in friendship.)

To show he meant what he said, the Hylian boy reached out to pick the feathers back up and hand them to the Rito child, who took them timidly, though there was a small smile back on his face. He gave a small bow to Link, " _Arni'soyacho._ " (Thank you.) He said, and Link nodded. " _Qato ohk dan circaa?_ " (Why are you here?)

Link thought for a moment, "Um..do you speak Hylian?"

The Rito cocked his head to the side, "Some."

"Great," Link sighed, "I'm not all that good with your language," he admitted, bashfully scratching the back of his head, "It's similar to the Zora language."

The young Rito nodded, recognizing the language he was speaking, "We Rito come from Sea People." He said, "Zora people our friends." He said, and Link nodded in understanding, "Why you come to mountains?" He asked again, "Many Hylians come in past, but none go this far in many winters."

Link pointed to his friends, who were still sleeping, "We came with our commander to offer our friendship to your people," he said, smiling, "My King wants to offer you hunting grounds if you need them, and a friendly hand should you ever need help."

The young Rito frowned, processing the words for a moment before smiling again with a nod of his head, "Father much happy for this," he said, making Link frown, "My father," the Rito child patted himself on the chest proudly, "Him chief of all Rito. Strong sky warrior."

Link brow nearly shot off of his head at the realization of whom he was speaking to. This wasn't just a Rito child, this was the Prince of the entire tribe!

There was a loud rustle of large wings as Link looked up to see several large shapes above him and his group. Each one was armed with a bow with an arrow knocked on the string, drawn back by their clawed feet as their wings kept them aloft. Others were riding large birds and held large spears and swords as their weapons of choice.

"Uh...Rusl?" Link called out, rousing the man. Rusl sat up, looking from Link to the young Rito Prince, and then up at the gathered warriors.

"Well...I guess we found them?" He said, chuckling nervously as one of the large figures descended to the ground. A large Rito with black feathers, and a large spear at his feet pointed to the Knight Commander.

Surprisingly, the Rito spoke, in clear Hylian, "Why do you trespass on our lands?" He demanded, "You have no business here!"

Link's new friend squawked, and jumped in front of the warrior, " _Fi'sehan, Quall! Korjin ohk muchi!_ " He yelled, showing him the feathers Link had gifted to him.

Qual, as he had been identified as, " _Rajey Komali, dan mtan go ohk onhso ootay ji koyis anasan cea y!_ " (Prince Komali, you should not be out in the wilds like this!)

Komali frowned, and spoke in his broken Hylian, so that his new friend would understand, "They not enemy, Qual!" He said loudly, "They come offer friendship, not fight. We fight them, no good."

Qual cocked his head, looking from the young Prince to the four Hylians, two of which were only now just waking because of all the racket. The large Rito hefted his spear, "We take them to the chief, no questions asked."

He then gave a keening shriek to the Rito above him, and Link suddenly found himself lifted from the ground as a pair of talons settled on his shoulders, raising him high into the air.

=x=

Sir Roland was not in the best of moods as he passed through the gates of Castle Town. Not only had he or his men not found a trace of their quary, but he had come across young Thenardier and his men in one of the smaller villages, lounging about as if they were on holiday. It enraged him to think of what might have happened if the young fool had been attacked.

And now he was marching his own platoon back to the King in defeat, like a whipped mongrel with its tail between its legs.

He was greeted with kind calls as he and his men passed through the town, but the young veteran did his best to ignore them as he focused on what could have brought him back to the castle so soon.

As he spurred his horse forward, a horn sounded off in the distance. He turned about in the saddle, and saw men up on the castle walls calling wildly, preparing for an attack. "What in the name of - ?" He said before his instincts kicked in, "About face, men!" He roared, wheeling his horse about and thundering back down the streets toward the gates, "The Bulblins are at our backs!"

The trumpeters on the walls sounded the alert, proving his suspicions right, and all of his troops sped after the large man as his horse barreled out the gates across the drawbridge, "Close the gates as soon as we're out!" He called up to the wall archers.

Another loud blast from a war horn sounded in front of him as the sound of thundering hooves also reached his ears. But they were not that of a horse. They were bigger, heavier. He reached for his sword as the first rider crested the hill. A massive horned beast with blue skin. Its rider was similar, only his skin was green. Beside him rode two more Bulblins on horned mounts, each one with varying sized horns atop their heads.

They had the high ground. He knew that, but still he charged, his men right behind him, his sword drawn. The lead Bulblin roared, raising a massive bone-ax above his head, sounding the charge. As soon as he did this, over the hill came his army. Like a wave they came, screaming like demons as their beasts carried them.

Rolands men numbered five hundred.

The Bublins easily numbered within the thousands.

Hyrule Plains was to become a battlefield unlike any their lands had seen since he had been a young soldier during the civil wars. Raising his sword high above his head as he neared the approaching wave, Sir Roland Durandal gave out a roar as he brought his blade down on the first enemy he could reach, beginning the battle.

* * *

 _ **And I end this chapter with a bang. Looks like while the Hero's away, Hyrule will pay...really bad pun, sorry! Anyway, Link's made a new friend, sort of, and now they're on their way to meet with the Rito Chief. Meanwhile, Zelda's training begins, and one of Hyrule's Knights is about to turn the green plains red.**_

 _ **Trivia answers: First off, to those that answered with Ryl, the language of the Twi'lek, you got it right! Second...no one guessed who the three characters were...me sad...**_

 _ **Don't forget to review!**_


	6. Chapter 6: Arn

_**Lack of Review are the biggest killer of stories across Fan Fiction. I'd love to see more people interested in this story.**_

 _ **6: Arn**_

* * *

One week had passed since Rusl's departure from Hyrule with his Pages. And it was a week that the Kingdom would never forget. The Bulblins had truly invaded the land with hordes of their fighters. With Sir Roland's first attempt at staving them off, Hyrule's army had drawn first blood, even though their force was smaller, the Bulblins were easy prey.

What was so problematic was the fact that there were so many of them.

Duke Thenardier and his men had joined the fray shortly after Roland's forces met the first wave, and between the two Generals, the Bulblins had been fended off.

Lord Zion's forces had returned in the middle of the campaign. The young lord proved to be useful to an extent as his men provided much needed reinforcements to the two commanding Knights. Zion himself was only barely capable with his swordsmanship.

The King himself had watched the first battle from the walls; stunned by the numbers that had risen against them. All the while as the smaller Bulblins fought against the mixed army of Hylians and Humans, the three larger Blins sitting atop there larger mounts only watched the chaos from the hill.

When the day ended with the sun sinking below the horizon, however, the Bulblins had retreated, giving the army much needed rest. Once the army was safely back within the walls, King Daphnes had ordered all of his people from the neighboring villages to be brought into the walled town for their own protection.

These villages only consisted of a few hundred lives both Hylian and Human, but the King would have now civilian casualties if he had anything to say about it. It was strange to him, however, that the Bulblins had not attacked the villages, and only focused on the castle.

In the days that followed the attack, it was the same pattern repeated over and over again as the Bulblins attacked at the crack of dawn, and retreated with dusk. The plains were littered with bodies from the battle, countless Blins, and few Knights had fallen, thankfully, but that could only last so long. His men were getting tired.

His archers had taken down the numbers of the Blins greatly, but even they could not stave off the tide that was coming at them for long. Bombs were even lobbed over the walls to ensure the creatures kept their distance for a time while the armies made ready to advance again.

"What can we do about these beasts," he asked of his council as the day had turned to dusk, looking over his Generals, both of which looked dead on their feet, "We can't allow this battle to go one much longer. You're all tired, that much I can see, and that's not taking your men into account. How many must we lose before these monster have had enough?"

Impa, who had joined the meeting because of her knowledge of the beasts, sighed, "They won't stop until they've breached the city." She said, much to the dismay of the men, "Bublins, as I've said, are smarter than the average Blin. You saw how those three big ones say on the hill when the battles went on. They weren't doing so to enjoy the battle, they were gauging the strength of our army with the lives of their soldiers. It's three days since this started, and now they know how strong we are."

Sir Roland, his hair a mass of dried sweat and blood, and his face covered in cuts, shook his head, "What's to come next?" He asked tiredly, "These three days since the battles began have been almost as bad as the civil war was just over a decade ago."

Thenardier nodded in agreement, "We only won that war because of who was leading us at the time," he said, sighing, "Commander Arn was the finest Knight Commander I had the pleasure of serving under."

"Thinking of the past won't help us," Daphnes said, though he silently agreed with the two Humans' statements. "We need to figure out how to - "

"They'll try to overwhelm us," Impa said, looking down at the map on the table, "The castle, thankfully, is built against the side of a mountain, so we have little to no chance of being taken from behind. But that won't stop them, they'll scale the walls next, or try. If it were up to me, I'd coat the walls in oil and set them ablaze if and when they try to make the climb."

"We can do better than that," Roland said, tracing his finger around the moat, "block off the river so we don't pollute Lake Hylia, or the rest of the river, and pour oil into the water."

"Yes," Thenardier growled, "If we light the walls, then the heat may weaken the stone, and make it easier to destroy, but setting the moat ablaze wouldn't harm anything unless the oil and fire got out of our control."

Daphnes nodded to the two men, "Make it so, but make sure it's done by fresh men, and allow those that fought today to rest. We will need them for the coming battles...where is my daughter?"

"She went down to the Temple of Time to pray," Impa said quietly, "She feels sorry for those that fought, and those that died, and wished to offer her prayers to them."

The King nodded, sighing, "That girl is far too kind for this," he sighed, "Losing her mother was bad enough, but seeing her having to grow up during a war is almost unbearable for me to think of. I want these monsters put down."

"Kill the leaders, and the rest will flee," Impa said, "Bulblins follow power, and with three strong leaders like them, they're likely not going to fall unless their leaders fall before them."

Roland nodded, "An old trick, kill the leaders, and make the army fall due to low morale."

"We will do what we can for now," the King said, "See to it that those barricades are set in place, and then we must all rest. Tomorrow will be our best chance to turn this battle in our favor."

=x=

Zelda walked among the tombstones in Hyrule's graveyard noting with sadness that there were freshly dug graves. Her training aside, she wasn't prepared for something like this. The men that had been killed by the Bulblins hadn't been killed out right. They had been mutilated. It made her sick to think that if Link and his friends had been out there, they too would be at the mercy of the Bulblins, no matter how strong a fighter Link was, what could he do against and army of so many?

Her prayers to the Goddesses, she hoped, would be answered. She had asked for the Goddesses to watch over Link and the others and grant them a safe return. She had prayed that the war would end soon.

This battle hadn't been in her dreams.

In her dreams, after the boy had given her he stone, he would leave her for many years. He would return, a grown man, tall and handsome, wielding a blade that glowed with an ethereal light, cutting through the darkness that plagued her.

But it hadn't happened the way she had dreamed. Link hadn't given her the stone, nor had the great darkness that she had seen risen up and spread across the land as she feared. Perhaps this was because of Link. Ganondorf no longer had any business entering their lands. The Dark King she had seen had most definitely been the Desert King, but now that he had been banished from Hyrule, the darkness couldn't spread.

"Maybe my dreams aren't as clear as I thought," she said, frowning as she passed in front of her mother's grave. In her hand she held a simple white flower, her mother's favorite. The White Town Flower was a symbol of a happy family, something her mother prized above all else. Her father would tease her about going to the highest mountains to retrieve the most exotic flowers just for her. She remembered how her mother would smile at him and say that all he needed to do was go out into the town and pluck a flower from fields.

How her mother loved those simple white flowers.

She knelt and placed the small flower against the tombstone, wishing for the hundredth time in that day that her mother was still with her. "I wonder if Link ever feels this way?" She asked herself, looking down the line of stones. "Mother, if you have anyway of telling me what I should do, instead of just sitting safely behind the castle walls, then please, do it...I need your guidance."

A gentle hand found its way to her shoulder, and she looked up to see the saddened face of Impa staring down at her. "Come with me, little one," she said gently, "There's someone you need to meet."

"Who?" She asked of her guardian.

The Sheikah woman was quiet for a moment as the pair passed the stones by, coming to an area that was in poor care, two tombstones covered in grass and vines. Impa took a moment to remove the vines from each stone, and held a small ball of magic up to the words engraved on the stone. "Your mother was, beautiful and strong, my child," she said, motioning for Zelda to come closer, "She was loved by all, and held as the finest queen our lands have seen since Queen Zelda the First. But she had something no other queen had before her...a true friendship."

Zelda knelt next to the first stone, "A...Arn of C-Calatia, Hero of the Ten Year War?"

Impa nodded, "Calatia was a neighboring Kingdom before the war broke our and destroyed it." She said, "Your mother was the queen, and Arn's closest friend. He and his wife, Medilia, got the queen to safety before she could be harmed. She came here, and met your father, and together, the Kingdom of Hyrule rose up, and destroyed the invading forces of Humans."

Zelda looked at her sharply, "But I thought it was Moblins that caused the war?"

Imp shook her head, "No, my little one, it was humans." She said, smiling a little, "Though we live in peace with them now, Hylians and Humans used to not get along. We once viewed ourselves as divine people from the sky, hence the name Hylian. Humans were already present when we came to the lands below, and had established territories here and there, only just coming from the wilds in large tribes. We as Hylians had already formed a community. Calatia was one of those communities that rose up. Hyrule was her neighbor. The Humans wanted what we had, and rose up. Calatia was still young when the Humans had finally attacked, allied with monsters, and other beings. The little Kingdom fell quickly, and Queen Seline fled to Hyrule just as your father was crowned King.

"Arn and Medilia were her companions, but the King was able to win her heart by protecting her from the Humans that followed her, hoping the make her wed their new King," she said, "They were soon wed, with Arn and Medilia in attendance for their friendship. In the coming years, Daphnes, your mother, and Lord Arn led our people against the Humans until they finally decided enough was enough. We joined as a single Kingdom. The Humans became our allies, and joined us as a whole."

Zelda nodded, but felt confused, "Why tell me this?"

Impa smiled, and reached out to clean off a third, smaller stone, holding the light just above the stone, "Have a look."

Zelda did as she was told, and read the words etched onto the stone. "L.. _Link_?!" She gasped, looking from the stone to her guardian, "Impa, what -?!"

"Keep reading."

Zelda frowned and read on, "Link, child of Lord Arn and Lady Medilia, killed before his first breath." Her breath hitched as she looked at the woman, "Impa, are you saying that - "

"Link never died, my dear," Impa smiled, "Medilia was in a small village when the humans attacked, and was gravely injured." She said, shaking her head, "The wound was fatal, but she had enough strength to flee with her newborn child into the Lost Woods where she placed him at the roots of the Great Deku Tree, begging him to look after the child she loved so much more than her own life."

Impa pulled the girl into a strong hug, "Your mother did leave someone to guide you." She said, petting the girl's head, "Her best friends' child, though he doesn't yet know it."

Zelda nodded, a sad smile on her lips, "Then Link is a noble?"

"No," Impa sighed, shaking her head, "He would have been, if his father had lived past the war, but he disappeared right at the end after his wife was found, and their child gone." She said sadly, "No one's seen him since then."

=x=

The journey through the sky had been a long, frightening experience for the young trio of Pages. Rusl found the whole experience to be a welcomed thrill as they were carried through the sky, and brought to the Rito Village. A settlement built right into the side of a mountain. Homes were seen seeming hanging off of the cliffs. It was a magnificent sight to behold.

As they landed, a large Rito dressed in finery was awaiting them. Link's friend, Komali, fluttered to the ground clumsily, and ran to the Rito. The boy was the spitting image of the Chieftan, save for this father's more predatory looks. The two chattered for a moment in their language which Link caught very little because they were speaking so fast. But it was all good from what he could tell, because the chief was smiling at his son as he gestured to the three Hylians, and Human. He stepped forward as Rusl was set down in front of him.

"My son tells me that you have traveled far to speak with me," the Chieftan said, his voice deep, and imposing, "It has been a long time since a Hylian made it as far as you have, let along three Hylian children, and a Human warrior."

Rusl nodded his head, "We owe your son a great deal," the man said, "If he hadn't found us, I doubt your men would have, either."

The Chieftan chuckled, "We Rito see everything," he said, tapping his sharp beak, "Our eyes are just like that of a bird of prey, as are our noses," he smiled, "We have known you were traveling through the wastelands for days, now. My men only intervened because they thought you might be a threat to my son."

Rusl shook his head, "I wouldn't never harm a child," he said truthfully, "I've only just become a father myself, and even now, my son is on my mind."

"Then you understand why I had him watched while he went in search of Kargarok feathers," he said, giving his son a small look which made the boy blush, "Still, you are the first ones to cross over the Magtail's territory and live in the last decade. I will gladly hear you out."

As they spoke, the three boys were looking around the area in wonder as more of the avian race appeared. Link noticed a girl around Komali's age fluttered down to him. He presented the feathers to her, much to the girl's delight, and was rewarded with a literal peck on the beak.

Link looked around for any sign of people like himself, but no one other than Rito's were present. Them, and the large birds they used for mounts. It was then that he spotted a large red bird coming in for a landing, and its rider was not a Rito.

The bird screeched and landed with a heavy thump as its rider lept from the saddle. He was a big man, with dark, honey-blond hair, and carried an old sword, worn from use. Rusl also noticed the man, and stared at him in shock.

He was obviously Hylian, judging by the length of his ears, and the sword he carried was an old Royal Broadsword, much like the one he carried. "A-Arn?" He said upon seeing the man, "Commander Arn, is that really you?"

'Arn' cocked his head for a moment in confusion as the man broke into a smile, "Who are you?"

"Rusl, don't you remember?" The Commander asked, "I was the one you trained to take your place once you retired!"

Arn brow rose in surprise, "You...Rusl?! The last time I saw you, you were just barely twenty!" He strode forward and clapped the man on the shoulder, laughing loudly, "What on earth are you doing here?!"

Rusl laughed along with him, "I came here to meet with the Rito, but I never expected to find a ghost, my old friend," he said, looking back at the Cheif, "Forgive me for being so rude, but this man was once my mentor, and a good friend. How long has he been here?"

The Rito Chief smiled, "Master Arn has been with us for ten years, give or take," he said, "It's thanks to him that we are able to forge our weapons so well."

"But where have you been?" Rusl questioned his old mentor, "Why did you leave so suddenly?"

Link, Groose, and Pipit had moved up to their instructor as the two men spoke, Link looking up at the stranger. He was familiar, somehow, but he knew that he'd never met this man before.

"I went looking for my son," Arn admitted sadly, "My wife left a note for me in our home saying that she would take the child into the Lost Woods," he said, making Link's ears perk up, "Foolish as it was, I was hoping that the forest would lead me to him, but I wound up here in Rito country, and couldn't find my way back."

Groose prodded Link in his side, "Hey, Link, didn't you say -"

"Y-yeah," Link nodded slowly as the man took notice of the three boys, Link instinctively hiding behind the larger Groose.

Rusl noticed this and smiled, "Arn, many things have changed since you left." He said, his smile growing wider, "The queen has passed from this world, and many peoples have come together as one Kingdom, but...for your son...he's one of my Pages." Arn looked at him sharply, then down at the three boys, noting the smallest one hiding behind Groose. "Arn, meet your son, Link of the Kokiri Forest."

=x=

Dawn broke across Hyrule Plains all too soon as the Knights kept their eyes on the horizon. Daphnes stood upon the wall, clad in his armor, and his sword at his hip. On either side of him were Duke Thenardier, and General Durandal. Thenardier's son, Zion stood at the man's side, looking pale and frightened of what was to come.

As the sun rose, it revealed what had transpired within the night. The field was cleared of dead. All of the Bulblins had been taken from the field, as well as the fallen soldiers of Hyrule. At the edge of the moat lay ten bodies, the men that had been slain during the battle.

"Retrieve them," the King said, "But keep an eye out for an sign of attack."

The gates were opened long enough to let a small band of men out to retrieve the men. But as they made their way back, a figure rose up over the hill, a single, hulking figure riding atop his beast. Tied to a massive battleaxe was a white cloth of peace. The large Bulblin kicked his Bulbo Lord into movement.

The gates were closed soon enough as the monstrous rider came to a stop at the edge of the moat. "Long-Ear King!"

Roland looked at Daphnes, "I think he's talking to you."

"He shouldn't be talking at all," Thenardier growled.

Daphnes ignored both of them and stepped forward, "I am the King you seek," he roared down, "What is it you want from us? Why do you attack us?"

"Want Long-Ear Princess," the beast roared up, making Daphnes grip his sword all the tighter, "Great Leader say to us, bring him Long-Ear Princess, he give us much land. Bulblins no want war, give us Princess, no fight, if not...you all die!"

Daphnes frowned as he stared down at the creature in fury, his hand tightening on his sword so tight his knuckles turned white. He unsheathed the blade and pointed down at the Bulblin, "I have heard you, but I will not turn over my daughter to the likes of you, beast!" He roared, "I may be not live to see her become a woman, but I'll be damned if I see her in the hands of monster!"

Down below, the Bulblin growled as a feral grin spread across his face. "Fight well, Long-Ear King."

* * *

 _ **Things are not looking up for Hyrule as the Bulblins make their demands of the King. Meanwhile, Link discovers someone from his past that he never knew existed until now. The History of Hyrule is revealed.**_

 _ **Don't forget to review!**_


	7. Chapter 7: Blood & Iron

_**7: Blood & Iron**_

* * *

Around the fire that evening, as the Rito went about their business, Arn and Rusl watched the three boys silently. All three were sleeping off a hefty meal provided by the Rito Chieftan. As usual, Groose was snoring loudly, while Pipit and Link slept peacefully. Arn noticed how his son slept with one eye partially open, and frowned. "Rusl," he said to his former subordinate, "What's that boy's life been like?" He asked, watching the even rise and fall of the boy's chest. "I've thought for the longest time that I'd lost both of them, but here he is," he shook his head sadly, "And what have I been doing these past twelve years? Nothing."

Rusl looked at the man and frowned, "Arn, it's not your fault." He assured the man, "Link's a special lad, without question. From what I heard, he fought with the Gerudo King, and - "

"He fought a fully trained Gerudo?!" Arn said loudly before lowering his voice so he wouldn't rouse the children, "How in the name of the Goddesses did he do that? More importantly, who trained him?"

Rusl shook his head, "He won't tell anyone, and I won't press him," he said, gesturing to the boy with his head, "All that I know is that that boy has had a hard life, Kokiri or not." He said, "I've watched him train with the others, he exceeds everything I could ever hope for in an apprentice. He's a crack shot with his bow, even though it's far too big for him. He can ride better than most seasoned Knights, and his sword skills with that little dagger he carries are deadly. He's not a child anymore, Link's a soldier."

Arn frowned, looking down into the flames. "And here I was, flying high above the world without a care, thinking all of my family dead," he said, lacing his fingers together, and shaking his his head, "I can't stay away anymore, not after this...but the way he looked at me..."

The moment he had approached the boy, Link had stepped back like a cornered animal, and bolted the first chance he'd gotten. It hadn't matter what either he or Rusl had said to the boy, he just wouldn't go near the man that was revealed as his father.

"Don't take it personally," Rusl said, patting his friend on the shoulder, "He's like that with most everyone aside from the Princess. He barely spoke to Groose and Pipit for a little while until he shot down a Bulbo and they started bombarding him with questions."

Arn sighed, "How am I supposed to make him trust me, then," he asked, looking to his sleeping son once more, "When Medilia told me we were to have a child, I couldn't have been happier, and I did everything I could to keep them safe, but even that wasn't enough."

"A hatchling that has never seen its parent will not trust them so easily even if they are kin," said the Rito Chieftan as he came into the fire light, "Being on one's own will often harden even the softest of hearts, but deep down, even when he pushes all others away, he will yearn for the company of another." He said with a clack of his beak, "Give him time, Master Arn, he will come to you."

Arn nodded, "I know he will, Chief Revali, but it's...difficult to know that my son's just right there," he said, gesturing to the sleeping boy, "And I can't even hold him as I've wanted to ever since I found out I was going to be a father."

"It was the same with me," Rusl said, smiling, "When my son was born, I never wanted to let him go." The Commander smiled at the memory, "He was so small, and fragile. I was afraid I'd drop him for the longest time, but I never did."

Revali smiled, "My son was late to hatch," he admitted, "my wife feared that she had done something wrong, but a week after he was expected, he came into our world, strong and healthy." He said, "I've cherished that boy from his first breath, and every day hence."

Arn tossed a piece of wood into the flames, causing the embers to rise, "Medilia was a wonderful woman," he said as the flames took hold of the log, "When I met her, it was like Din herself had taken the form of a girl before my eyes. Goddesses she was so beautiful," he smiled with a shake of his head, "When we married, I couldn't have been happier, even with the war going on, or so I thought," he said, "when she told me she was pregnant, I was just short of crying for the sheer joy I felt." The log cracked and split apart, "When she died...a part of me died with her. I begged the midwife to tell me about my son." He smiled, turning his attention to the boy once again, "Link was a tiny thing when he was born, even smaller than a loaf of bread. He has my eyes, but her hair."

Groose rolled over and his arm flopped over on Link's face. The boy grumbled in annoyance and swatted it away, seemingly still asleep.

"He's still small," Arn said, "Even after all this time."

Revali smiled at his friend, "While they remain small is when we must cherish them," the Chief said wisely, "When they have grown, and spread their wings, nothing can stop them from flying far from us."

"He's right," Rusl frowned, "Even now I could be missing something important in Colin's life, even when he's still so young." He said, looking at the three boys, "Pipit and Groose are both orphans, one loosing a mother, and the other never knowing the love of a family. Link was raised by a Kokiri girl and taught by the Great Deku Tree. He knows so many languages I often think I'm talking to a scholar."

"WAH! Groose, get off me!" Pipit yelled as Groose had somehow rolled over both boys, and was now laying across them, sound asleep while Pipit was trying to push the larger boy off of them, and Link was crushed beneath him.

Link, after kicking his legs for a moment, decided enough was enough, and shoved the boy back onto his own bedroll, glaring at the sleeping boy as Pipit growled, sitting up. "How can you sleep like that, you undersized Moblin!"

Link silently agreed, and moved his bedroll away from the danger zone, Pipit following suit. Groose didn't seem to mind a bit, and rolled back over, snoring away.

Arn watched as Link found a spot against a wall, and settled back down, his back against the wall, closing first one eye, and partially closing the other. The man was stunned to see the one eye soon grow dull, and muted as the boy fell back asleep.

It was unnerving to see such a young child sleep in such a way. Rusl was used to the boy's sleeping habits by now, but the look of shock o his mentor's face said something different.

Revali chuckled, "He's a strong one, that much is certain." He said, looking at the former Commander, "He may not know you as you wish, but you should feel proud of him no less."

Arn frowned, "I've always been proud of him, since the day I found out he was to be born." He said, looking off into the horizon, "We'll need our rest if we're to return to Hyrule tomorrow morning."

=x=

The drawbridge was lowered as the army of Hyrule stood. The King was in the lead, his armor polished and gleaming in the dim light of the dawn, his sword sharpened to a razor-edge. Impa stood at his side. She wore no armor save for a chain mail shirt under her clothes, and carried a massive great sword over her shoulder.

Behind him were General Thenardier and Durandal, both of whom stood ready for battle. Zion stood behind his father, trembling as he gripped his sword. Upon the walls surrounding the capital town stood archers, their bows at the ready, the gates below closed. The water within the moat was distorted with lamp oil, as was the drawbridge. When the time came, it would all burn.

As dawn began to break, a horn sounded off in the distance.

"This is it," Daphnes sighed, gripping the hilt of his blade. He removed it from its sheath, "Make ready, men!" The sound of metal leaving the sheathes was heard all around as the sound of thundering hooves came from the distant hill. He looked at his two Generals, "Forgive me," the pair looked at him, "If I was a good King, then perhaps I would have avoided this battle altogether."

Thenardier frowned, "They asked for your daughter," he growled, hefting his giant sword, "Even I would have refused had you asked the same of me."

"As would I," Sir Roland said, hefting the Royal Claymore in his grasp, "Even if we fall today, my King, know that we do so willingly."

The first Bulbo and its riders topped the hill, followed by more, lining the entire hilltop with their warriors. At the forefront were the three large Bulblins riding their gigantic Bulbo Lords.

"Impa," the woman looked up at the King as he spoke, "You know you don't have to be out here?"

The Sheikah woman nodded, "True, I wouldn't mind being back at the castle watching over my dear one, but I believe I'll stay right here, if you don't mind?" She said, smiling at him. "I do have an obligation to protect those of the Royal Family, and you do count, old as you are."

The King found himself smiling for once at the Sheikah's humor, "Have it your own way, you red-eyed harpy." He said, looking ahead of them once more, "Signal the archers," he commanded to Roland, "Aim for the rear ranks, while we take the forefront."

Roland made the necessary gesture, "Do we advance?"

Daphnes shook his head, "No, let them make the first move." And move they did. The Bulbo in the middle, possibly the leader of them all, gave a roaring howl, throwing his arm forward, and the charge began. A screech rose above the sound of the thundering hooves of the Bulbos, almost as if they were cackling for the thrill of battle.

"Advance!" The King roared, and spurred his horse on into a gallop.

On foot, Impa shot out ahead of him, her sword dragging the ground behind her, intent of taking the first kill, and clearing the way for her King. Roland and Thenardier were right behind them. Impa lept into the air, spinning around like an airborne top as she crashed into the first wave of the opposing army. The lead Bulbo was cleaved in half, sending the riders to the ground to be trampled underneath their brethren.

Daphnes sword came down, striking off the head of the lead Bulblin rider on another, leaving the beast to run wild as its other rider held on for dear life, only to meet the blade of Thenardier.

The two armies crashed together in a wave of roars, yells, and blood as metal met flesh.

The Bulbos were stronger than the Hylians' horses, but slower in many ways. The beasts would only charge blindly forward, with or without a rider, ramming and crushing anything that got into their paths. Soldiers weaved in and out of their ranks, cutting through rider and beast alike, but none could avoid the razor-sharp tusks the beasts sported.

Behind them, the archers on the walls surrounding the town fired their arrows into the air, aiming for the rear ranks, thinning the herd as it were as Bulblins and Bulbos alike screamed as the darts found their marks.

The three Kings watched from the hill, " _Val akaanir pirutsi._ " (They fight well.) Said the one in the middle as he watched the King and two Humans cutting through his people. On his left, his second in command grunted, itching to join the fray. " _Gar kapr slanar, Bryagh,_ " (You may go, Bryagh.) He said to the large Bulblin, " _Sruba etie garbur._ " (Test their mettle.)

The beast grinned, and spurred his beast into the fray, hefting a large stone hammer.

"Keep pushing forward!" The King roared, cutting down another enemy as he advanced, "We have to get to the leaders if we want this to end!" His horse was then rammed, and the King of Hyrule was sent flying off. The man still clutched his sword as he scrambled back to his feet, the blade raised to defend himself as the beasts went for him. He deflected a club off of his shield, and sliced through the first Bulblin to attack him.

A crude spear sailed passed his head, forcing him to duck, right into the path of another club he caught on his sword, splintering it at the shaft. He kicked out at his attacker, sending the small creature away from him. He whirled around, his sword arching through the air as he cut down the fores around him when a shadow passed over him.

He whipped around, his shield coming up on instinct as the weapon crashed into him with the force of a charging Goron. A sickening snap came from his shield arm as he was thrown to the ground, looking up at the giant Bulblin that had broken his arm.

The Bulblin roared as he raised his hammer to bring down upon the King as he raised his sword to defend himself. The hammer came down, and the King rolled out of the way, his blade skating across the ground, and flinging dirt into the face of the creature. The beast roared in anger as he was blinded by the dust, swinging his weapon blindly. Tucking his injured arm close to his chest, he took advantage of the Bulblin's blindness Daphnes lunged forward, running the beast through the middle. He roared, clutching at the sword in his gut, and sword at the man once more in a blind rage.

Forced to relinquish his hold on the blade, the King ducked away once more, staggering away from the blind and wounded beast as it scrubbed at its eyes furiously. Those beady red eyes then opened as they glared at the injured King.

"You weakling!" The Bulblin growled, advancing on him as the man backed away. The beast raised its hammer once again, and the King prepared himself for the worst.

A streak of silver entered his line of sight as the Bulblin's hammer clashed against the massive great sword Impa carried with her, the woman's eyes burning with fire. "I think not, you desert rat!" She snarled, pushing the hammer back, and aimed a kick at the hilt sticking out of his gut. The blade passed through the Bulblin's body, bringing him to his knees while Impa raised her sword. The Bulblin only grinned as the sword came down on him.

As the larger Bulblin was slain, a great screech rose above the sound of battle, and the smaller soldiers began to flee.

"They're retreating," a soldier roared, raising his sword, "After them!"

"HOLD!" Daphnes roared, halting the attack, "We've won the battle but not the war! Tend the wounded! Get them back to the castle!" He yelled, "All soldiers regroup and fall back!"

=x=

Zelda frowned as the army marched back into the walled town, many carrying wounded. Among the first into the safety of the walls was Zion Thernardier, an unsurprising thing in the Princess's mind. The man was an absolute coward. She'd watched from the walls as the battle went on. Zion had hidden behind his own troops as they fought, staying well away from the real battle.

Her eyes landed on her father, bringing up the rear, and supporting the weight of a wounded soldier.

It had been a short battle, but she could see that the field was littered with corpses, friend and foe alike.

"It's horrible, isn't it?" Impa said as she appeared by her charge's side, Zelda not even flinching at the woman's sudden appearance. "To think that barely a decade has passed us by and our kingdom is once again in the middle of conflict."

Zelda shook her head, "It is horrible," she admitted, "But it's more frustrating than anything else." The girl looked up at her, and smiled faintly, "I want to fight, Impa, even it I'm still too young to even think of such a thing, I want to do what I can to help my people."

"Then you should make use of your healing arts," Impa pointed out, smiling at the child, "It may not be the same as actually fighting, but healing the wounded will do much for morale at the moment." She said, making the girl smile. The Princess gave a nod of her head and scurried down into the courtyards to help where she could while Impa watched her go, frowning ever so slightly.

The battle was far from over in her opinion. The death of one leader was hardly enough to garner such a retreat. The Bulblins were up to something, that much she knew. Unlike their larger kin, the Bulblins valued the lives of their own, but only the larger ones gave the commands. If the two remaining ones had commanded a retreat, then when had the order been given. She hadn't heard any sort of call, nor had they fought them off sufficiently enough to put the fear of Hylian steel into them. In fact, as she looked out over the field, it seemed that most of the casualties had been on their side. Too many men had gone down because of those Bulbos they rode.

Many were still alive, most of the fatalities being on the Bulblins' side, but those tusked-beasts were a menace. The few that had been killed were a result of being gutted or trampled under hoof.

The next time they charged would be something much worse. They wouldn't see it coming, at least, not until the last moment. Looking off toward the battlefield, Impa wished that Rusl would return.

His wits on the battlefield were nearly as good as Commander Arn's had once been.

* * *

 _ **Shorter chapter than the rest, but this seemed like a good stopping point for the next chapter. Arn's actually a cannon character from the graphic novels, portrayed as Link's father. As we see, he's more than surprised by his son, and Hyrule is not having an easy time of it with their best Knight away.**_

 _ **Don't forget to review!**_


	8. Chapter 8: Small Warrior

_**8: Small Warrior**_

* * *

Ganondorf frowned at the news he was hearing. The Bulblins had yet to overrun the castle as he had planned. Apparently the weaklings of the plains were stronger than he thought. Still, his plan was a sound one. Once the castle was overrun, it would be a simple matter of letting Koume and Kotake turn them into their little slaves.

" _Ne Re ti'pur?_ " ( _My Lord?_ )

The Lord of the Desert's head snapped up, "Aveil, what have I told you?" He sneered, his voice sharp and reprimanding, "Speak the common tongue! We are not the sand-savages we once were!"

The woman shrunk as she entered his chambers, "It is...our mother tongue..." she mumbled as an excuse, but the man just waved it off.

"What did you come here for?" He demanded, "If it's because another woman is in need then she will have to wait as I am not in the mood."

Aveil shook her head, "Not woman wanting child," Aveil said, frowning, "Hear something from scouts."

"Have you?" Ganondorf sighed, sounding bored, "And what have my girls heard?"

"Little one from forest," she said, catching his attention, "He goes over mountains many days ago, but scouts no follow them."

Ganondorf's eye twitched violently, "And... _where_ was he heading?"

Aveil frowned as she tried to find the right words to say, but soon gave up, " _Kaysh ganar slanar at Adate be Ca'tra_." ( _He has gone to the People of the Sky._ ) She said in their native tongue, which only served to irritate the man further.

She saw the man's hands curl into fists, "And they did nothing to stop him?" Ganondorf asked, deceptively calm, " _Why_ is that, Aveil?"

Aveil gulped, "You say...stay away from little one...we do...no say harm." She was fully prepared to be struck by the way the man glowered at her, and flinched as he raised a hand towards her, only to have him drag his knuckles across the left side of her face. The woman shivered. Many times she had felt his touch, but never had it been pleasant.

"You are right, Aveil," Ganondorf said, his voice low, "I did say that your scouts should keep their distance and only watch him...the fault is mine." He said, taking his hand away from her. The young woman let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding as relief spread through her. "You may tell your scouts that they will need to watch him more closely, and, should he deem himself a threat to us, as he has to me already in forming an alliance with Hyrule, that they are to strike him down. You will do this?"

" _Elek_ " Aveil said automatically, but a stern look from her king made her stiffen, "Er, _yes_ , I meant _yes_ , Lord."

Ganondorf nodded, "Good, now, off with you," he said, making a 'shooing' motion with his hand. Aveil turned to leave, thankful that she had gotten away unscathed.

Ganondorf frowned as the woman left the room, "So the brat's gone to the Rito, has he?" He said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps this will find a way to work in my favor. Once a bridge has been established, it will be easier to hunt those feathered fools down." He said to himself, "And it will also take care of those wretched savages I've had to bargain with."

He sat down on his bed, lacing his fingers together, "All will go according to plan."

" _Dari nindz irsiki woi ri drida._ " ( _Do not underestimate the boy._ ) A Dark voice spoke in his mind, making the man straighten up.

"I won't," he said harshly, "The boy has already humiliated me, and that is one time too many my tastes." He growled, "Koume and Kotake were right when they told me I should have murdered the boy, the king of Hyrule be damned."

The voice spoke again, a cold feeling running through the Gerudan King's mind, " _J'us tuti ayatsi sas ki dias muru._ " ( _You were warned by me as well._ ) It said, sending a powerful spike of pain shooting through the man, " _Dari Nu nindz niti anas j'us waria tuti an sas wo j'us waria nindz asarji?_ " ( _Did I not say that you would be challenged by one you would not expect?_ ) Ganondorf shivered, the pain digging deep within his bones.

"You did," Ganondorf relented, shaking his head, "And I was a fool. I thought it would be the princess, not some...some child that blundered out of the woods like a beast." He snarled, thinking of his battle against the little runt. "I will heed your words from now on. That boy must assuredly die before any of my plans can bare fruit."

The voice chuckled, the sound like an echo of thunder. " _Diyij ri drarina, na ri zutadasi waria tiri tuti snarizi._ " ( _When he dies, then the curse will finally be complete._ )

=x=

The drawbridge of Hyrule Castletown lowered, and with it came the mounted soldiers of the kingdom. With one of their leaders dead, the Bulblins had stayed away for three days to perform burial rites upon the body; as explained by Impa.

Now with the dawning of the third day, both armies were rested and ready to fight once more. Riding out in front were Daphnes, his left arm bandaged and tided to his shield, Roland, and Thenardier, each with a force of five hundred men behind them.

"Sir Roland, take your men and cover the left flank," Daphnes said, looking out across the field, "Thenardier, you take up the right. Make sure none get passed us."

"Understood, Majesty," Roland said, leading his horse off to the left as Thenardier did the same, taking up the right. Cresting the hill in front of them was the opposing army, two large figures remaining where once there were three.

The King sighed, adjusting his helmet, and pushing down his face-shield. "Let this be the last battle, Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, I beg of thee," he prayed silently as he drew his sword. "On to battle!"

A great roar rose up as the men and women that served the King as knights charged forward, swords and lances drawn. Across the field the Bulblins gave out a shriek and rumbled down the hill in a massive wave.

The King rode out front, his sword raised, flashing down on the first Bulblin to cross his path. Green coated his blade as he cleaved through first one, and then another behind it wielding a bow. His horse reared back, kicking out its front hooves at the heads of the Bulbos charging at them. The giant boars squealed as the sharp hooves struck their heads, forcing them out of their way, and into their fellows.

Flanking them from either side were Roland and Thenardier's forces, sweeping into the sides of the creatures, and cutting them down as they went. Arrows whipped by them as they advanced. The stone arrowheads chipped and bounced off of the King's armor, finding no purchase in the steel plating. Many of his men fell around him, but just as many soldiered through the onslaught.

Daphnes sword came down on the neck of a Bulbo that was charging toward his horse, its tusks bared. Not wanting to be thrown from his mount again, the King was quick to dispatch the beast, throwing its riders high into the air only to be trampled under hoof as they crashed back to the ground.

Behind them, arrows rained down on the field as the archers upon the wall took careful aim.

Zelda watched from the walls as well, her eyes trained on her father even as the smell of oil and pitch filled the air. In her hands she held a small re-curved bow, beside her was a small torch she would use to light up the moat, and walls if the time came.

Impa was by her side as ever, her face stoic as always. "This will be a deciding battle," she noted as she saw the two leaders riding out onto the field, "Even if another leader dies, the last one will still be charging forward, leading the horde."

"I'm ready for it to be over with," the young Princess sighed, her stomach churning as she watched the battle, "And where are Link and the others? They should have been back by now."

Impa's lips twitched upward slightly, "He's safer than you are at the moment, my dear one." The Sheikah woman said, noting the girl's blush. "So eager for your beloved's return. Young one's these days." She said, bemoaning to the goddesses.

"I'm not just worried about him," she mumbled, then noticed that the line of Knights had broken, "Oh, no, here they come!"

"Archers, pick those little runts off!" Impa roared, drawing a bow of her own, "Zelda, if we can't hold them, light the waters."

Zelda nodded, readying her bow.

One the battlefield the remaining pair of Bulblin Kings were watching with interest as their warriors broke through the enemy lines. " _Ibi'tuur mhi kapr mar'eyir parjai, Munit-Bur'r._ " ( _Today we may find victory, Long-Horn_ ) The smaller of the two grumbled, watching as the Bulblins neared the walls.

The larger King smiled a wide, toothy grin, " _Narir va cuyir bid warye, Shukur- Da'yadr,_ " ( _Do not be so sure, Broken-Tusk,_ ) he said, gesturing with his head toward the walled city, and the Hylian/Human army fighting to defend it, " _Mies Munit- Uratr cuyir a ori dral adate._ " ( _These Long-Ears are a very strong people._ ) In truth, the two were now enjoying the battle in front of them. To the Bulblin race, a good battle that resulted in a good death was something of an honor of them. One of their own being slain in the last battle, the two had given their brother a grand burial of flames, and returned him to the sands from whence he came.

They were doing well against them, however, for their numbers were greater than the Hylian army. Shukur-Da'yadr shook his large head, " _Mhi enteyor parjir ibic cayatr, Vod, ra mhi hwa kat'eyra._ "( _We must win this battle, Brother._ ) He said, looking down at the fallen on the field, Hylian and Bulblin alike, " _Vhekad dar srubiva par cuun adate o'r cuun hra'ne vesar asas val gupu narir._ " ( _The Sands no longer provide for our people in our great numbers as they once did._ )

In truth, the leaders of the Bulblins had only agreed to attack Hyrule because of the words uttered by the King of the Gerudo. The promise of new lands for them to hunt, and call their homes was just too tempting for them to pass up. And all they had to do was bring him the princess of the Long-Eared people in front of them.

Munit-Bur'r, the larger of the two Blins, had already fallen in love with the lands. Green was a rarity in the desert. Here, it was all around them in great forests and plains, and filled with wild game for them to hunt and feed their kin. Water was plentiful as well. They would not have to dig down into the sands and risk being buried to find the life-giving liquid.

And now it looked as if they would have this land for themselves as they watched the first of their many warriors jumping into the moat to start scaling the walls. Munit-Bur'r grinned as he saw the infant princess atop those walls, an easy target once his people had reached her. But then he saw her shoot an arrow, glowing an angry red, into the moat. He grunted out a laugh, thinking she had missed her target, but that was short-lived as the moat erupted into a wall of flames.

The large Blin felt his grin widening, "Very good, Long-Ear princess."

Across the field, Daphnes looked back at the flaming waters, "Well, that does it," he said as the drawbridge was raised, "We're stuck out here. I hope none of you have any regrets?" He asked of his two generals, both of whom were winded, but otherwise unharmed.

"I have plenty of regrets," Thenardier scowled, "But falling in battle would never be one of them." He sneered as he slashed his sword down on a plucky Bulblin that got too close to him.

"I am of the same mind as he, My King," Roland said, his shield raised to defend against arrows.

A war-horn sounded off in the distance, and the trio saw the two remaining leaders advancing.

Thenardier looked at the King, "They're most likely coming for you since you managed to kill the other one."

"They won't take me easily," Daphnes snorted, flexing his injured arm, "even with only one good arm, I'm still worth ten of these little runts."

Roland looked at the man, "I would rather you didn't do anything that would jeopardize your safety further, You Highness," he said, frowning, "Please, leave them to us."

"I agree," Thenardier said, "You've already had your turn. Let the younger men have at it!"

Before the King could reply, a great shrieking cry sounded over the din of battle. The man looked all around for the source, and found himself looking up. At first, he thought he was looking at a giant flock of birds...but these birds were carrying weapons!

"What in blazes -?!" Roland gasped as he too saw the strange sight, "Are they a new enemy?"

Daphnes frowned, thinking on it for a moment before remembering the reason for Rusl's absence.

With a shriek so loud that it hurt the King's ears, the Rito warriors dove from the skies like falcons. Arrows and spears rained down upon the battlefield, while the Bulblins turned their attentions toward these newcomers. Their arrows thudded against kite-shaped shields.

"Incredible!" Thenardier breathed out, "I'd heard stories about the Rito before, but I'd never - !" His amazement was shared by his comrades as the Rito kept up the attack. The Bulblins raised shields of their own, only for the ground soldiers of Hyrule to thunder into them with swords and shields raised.

Five other shapes materialized out of the flock in the form of gigantic birds with riders. Human riders.

One of them was distinctly recognizable because of his small size, but that did not stop him. He could even see Rusl calling out to the boy to stop as he spurred his mount into a steep dive, his bow drawn back, and swooped in to let the dart fly from his grasp right into the large body of a Bulbo which toppled over from the wound, and shot back into the air.

Roland was remarkably stunned by the feat from such a small boy. Seeing a child of that size riding a horse was something, but seeing him on the back of a horse-sized bird in flight was astounding. More to the point, he was directing that mount expertly as they dipped in and out of the battle, arrows flying from his bow with the skill of a true marksman.

Just then, Rusl's mount landed beside the trio, "My King!" He said by way of greeting, "Generals! What's been going on while I was away?"

The King gaped at him for a moment, thinking himself mad for seeing his Knight Commander on the back of a large bird with stormy feathers, and a large beak. "Rusl? What in blazes -?!"

"We saw the smoke rising from a mile or two out," Rusl provided, gesturing with his sword, "Chief Revali suspected a fight, and hurried us along. Ah, I've got so much to tell you!"

Finally snapping out of his stupor, the King saw Link swooping down once again, only this time he was joined by another rider, a Hylian man with an old Royal Knight's broadsword. And he bore an unmistakable resemblance to Link, and one other man that the King knew all too well.

"I think you'd better reign in your apprentice first," Thenardier said, gesturing to the boy in question.

"That's like trying to stop the sunrise." Rusl quipped, and spurred his mount back into the air.

Link, meanwhile, was buzzing the battlefield like a mad hornet, all the while with Arn roaring at him from behind. He paid the man little attention. He'd learned long ago that a distraction in the middle of a fight meant a rolling head, especially in a fight this big. He hadn't been in a scrap like this since his time as an adult scouring the fields of Hyrule at night.

He reached back for another arrow, fitting it to the bow string as he drew closer to the two larger enemies. Blins, he knew, followed the strongest of their kind, which most likely meant these two. Taking at least one of them down would end the fight. Bulblins, if he could get close enough to the leaders, would accept a challenge if issued right.

Unfortunately for him, that didn't seem likely since Arn was far too close to him even think about landing before he was snatched up by his mount. Couldn't he see that he could take care of himself? He didn't need him acting like Saria when he was younger.

Pulling his bow back to full draw, he took careful aim, and made sure to let his Loftwing hover just in front of the two giants, letting them see him as he loosed the dart. His target raised a shield to deflect the dart, and visibly grinned at the Hylian child.

Seeing that he had their attention, Link shouted out, " _Ni sraya'nr staabi be at!_ " ( _I claim the right of challenge!_ )

Hearing this, Munit-Bur'r looked surprised. He hadn't known that their customs were known among the Long-Ears. Interested, the large Blin took his war-horn from his saddle, and blasted out a note, long and loud. Upon hearing the horn, the army of Bulblins ceased their struggles and began retreating back to their side of the battlefield, chattering excitedly.

The small creatures gave Link a wide birth as their leaders stepped down from the mounts, Link doing the same as his Loftwing set down on the ground.

Above them, Arn was having a heart attack at the scene bellow him, "What's that fool boy thinking!" He roared, kicking his mount into a dive, but was stopped as Rusl flew into his path, "Rusl, get out of my way!"

"Arn, listen to me!" Rusl yelled, "Don't interfere with the fight! Not only will you start the war up again, you'll make Link hate you!"

"Do you really expect me to watch my own son go to his death!?" Arn roared furiously.

"Of course not!" Rusl roared right back, "But you have to realize that he's not just some little boy, Arn, he's seen battle before!"

Back on the ground.

Link was circled by the smaller Bulblins, all of them cackling and banging their shields noisily as the two leaders spoke. Link caught little of it, but already knew that they were deciding which one of them would take the challenge. Finally, it was the smaller of the two that stepped up. The larger one would act as a watcher, making sure that the fight was uninterrupted.

"Brave Long-Ear," the Bulblin growled, "Small, weak, but want fight," he thumped his chest with a large sledge hammer, "Name Shukur-Da'yadr! Second chief of tribe!"

Link nodded to him, "I'm called Link." He said loud enough to be heard, drawing his sword, but had no shield. Shukur-Da'yadr saw this, and barked something to the smaller of his kin. One of the Blins came toward him with a small round soldier's shield, offering it to him. "Good shield, good fight, yes, yes?"

Link took it with a nod of thanks, and placed it on his arm. The gesture was witnessed by the King and his army, all of whom thought it was strange of them to offer him such a thing when he was already at such a clear disadvantage.

Testing the weight of the shield, Link looked across the field at his opponent, "Shukur-Da'yadr, if I win, I want this fighting to stop," he called out, "Our peoples have no reason to fight one another."

The large Blin cocked his head, and smiled, "Reason do have we." He said, "Win fight we must."

"If _Kih Verd_ wins fight," the larger Bulbin called out, "We speak peace with Long-Ear King."

Link nodded gratefully as he got into his fighting stance.

With a blare from the war-horn, the battle began. Shukur-Da'yadr struck with surprising quickness for a being his size as his hammer whipped through the air, and smashed into the ground with unrelenting force, sending dirt and dust into the air. Link was quick enough to dodge the attack by rolling toward the charging Blin, bringing his sword up and slashing his opponent across his ribs.

The wound didn't seem to bother the massive Blin as his gave a left-handed backhand, sending the boy rolling again, this time from the force of the blow. But it didn't matter. Link had drawn first blood, a sign of strength in the eyes of the Blin races.

Getting himself back to his feet, he darted in again. Shukur-Da'yadr swung at him with a horizontal swipe, and Link was forced to slide on his knees painfully as the grit dug into his skin. He ducked under the fist sent his way as he got in close to his opponent, and stabbed his sword up into the arm holding his weapon. The Blin grunted in pain, grabbing the offending weapon, and Link with it.

He hurled him across the battleground, smashing him into the dirt as he shifted his hammer to the other hand. "Good." He said in approval as the boy picked himself up, wiping dirt from his face. " _Kih Verd_ good fighter."

Instead of answering him, Link shot forward again.

Meanwhile, Zelda was watching from the walls, her knuckles white as she gripped the bow in her hands. She could see Link fighting down there on the battlefield against one of the giants. He was holding his own for the moment, but he had already been thrown twice, and there was only so much a body his size could take before he gave out.

"Please," she breathed out, "Please, Hylia, let him be alright!"

Link was more than alright, however. He felt more alive than he had since coming back through time. He could tell his opponent was enjoying the fight just as much as he was. The Bulblin wasn't fighting to kill him, no, he was fighting to win. There was a fine line between the two, but neither one of them had tried to cross it just yet.

He didn't want to kill, either. He just wanted to end this battle.

So he began to focus all of his magic into his sword.

Above them, Groose and Pipit were staying well away from the battle, even though they wanted to join in after Link had dove down into the fray. "Hey, Pip, what's that glow down there?" Groose asked, pointing down at the battle.

Pipit looked down, and couldn't figure out what was going on. That is, until that orange light erupted into a spinning disk. Link was using magic!

Shukur-Da'yadr was so surprised by the sudden burst of power that he barely had time to raise his hammer to defend himself as Link sped toward him. The young Page's blade struck the shaft of his hammer, and sliced right through it, and slashed the large Bulblin across the chest. He roared in pain and fell back as his weapon fell away in pieces.

Wounded and deprived of his weapon, Shuku-Da'yadr was defeated.

* * *

 _ **So sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Had a huge bout of writer's block with this story. Either way, I hope you all enjoyed it. Next chapter will be a cool down chapter with the meeting between Hylians, Human, Rito and Bulblins.**_

 _ **Trivia: Who was speaking to Ganondorf in this chapter?**_

 _ **Please leave a review if you liked the chapter!**_


	9. Chapter 9: Return to the Forest

_**9: Return to the Forest**_

* * *

The conflict against the Bulblins had come to an end after little over a week. The battles had taken their tolls on both sides as both Hylian and Bulblins were laid to rest. The Bulblins funeral pyres burned for several days following the end of the war. The intervention of the Rito had stopped their advance, and the efforts of young Link had brought everything to a close.

And now the leaders of the three people meet on an open field accompanied by warriors for their own safety. Munit-Bur'r was accompanied by his brother, Shukur-Da'yadr as representatives of their people. The only known intelligent race of Blins.

The King of Hyrule was in the company of Rusl, as well as his three young Pages. Link stood just behind the Knight Commander, his knees bandages from the previous day's battle. Shukur-Da'yadr gave the young Page a nod of acknowledgement, the boy doing the same.

Chieftain Revali was accompanied by Qual, the dark-feathered commander of his warriors, and his son, Komali. The Knights of Hyrule had brought out a large table in order for them to sit and talk more comfortably.

Munit-Bur'r was the first to speak, "Kih Verd has bested this one of my chiefs," the large Bulblin said, gesturing to the injured second beside him, "He want speak of peace. Here we speak."

Daphnes nodded, "Speak we shall," he said, "But first, I would like to know who asked you to attack us?" He said, "You said to me when you asked for my daughter that you were to bring her before someone else in exchange for lands here in Hyrule."

"Elek," the Bulblin King nodded, "Our people small, but many. Desert cannot feed us anymore. Many starve. Die beneath sand searching for water." He shook his large horned-head, "Desert King comes to us, asking us to bring him Long-Ear princess, and he gives us land so we can make new home."

Revali clicked his beak, and nodded in understanding, "This I can understand. My people have always struggled to survive until we found our homes in the sky. And now we no longer have to bind ourselves to the water for our food."

"This 'Desert King' you spoke of," Daphnes said, "Would that happen to be King Dragmire?"

"Elek," the Bulblin nodded again.

The King sighed. ' _So it was Ganondorf again,_ ' he thought tiredly, ' _The man's more dangerous than I thought._ ' He looked up at the Bulblin Kings, "I have little to offer you in land that is not already taken up by my people, Hylian and Human alike. Should you move into any of those lands, they will likely try to drive you out against my wishes."

Revali looked at the Bulblins, and smiled, "If you would not mind the journey, my peoples lands are more than vast enough to keep your people safe, and well cared for," he offered, "My people are fishing folk, and rarely venture into the forest surrounding our mountains for food. And there are no other races that I have seen in the forests that hunt the game there. There are other mountain ranges there as well, if your people wish to make a home there."

"Mountains we have not seen in many summers," Munit-Bur'r said, smiling, "If Sky-People chief say so, then Bulblins will be neighbors."

Daphnes smiled in relief, "I'm glad that we have cleared this misunderstanding up," he said, looking at the winged-chieftain gratefully. "Chieftain Revali, I thank you for coming all of this way to meet with me, and also saving both our peoples from what could have been a horrible war. As compensation for your troubles, you have but to ask, and anything from the royal treasury is yours."

The Rito chief shook his head, "We are a peaceful people by nature, though we are no strangers to conflict," he said, "As compensation, I would only ask for your friendship, from both you, You Highness, and you, Chief Munit-Bur'r, should ever I find myself or my people in need of a helping hand."

"Then we are in agreement," He said, reaching out to shake his hand, doing the same to the Bulblin King, "Both of your peoples are welcome in Hyrule to move through as you wish. And should any of us need aid, then the other two shall raise to the challenge."

As the meeting began to disperse, Ruls looked at the Bulblin Kings, "I was wondering," he said, catching their attention, "What was that name you've been calling my young apprentice?"

Shukur-Da'yadr looked from the commander to the smallest of his Pages, "Ah, you mean Kih Verd. Means Small Warrior."

=x=

Within the next several days the entirety of the Bulblin race that once lived within the Gerudo Desert had moved across Hyrule and into the Death Mountain ranges in or to cross into the Gohma's Pass. The Bulblins moved fast and easily through the mountains in order to reach their new homes, but ultimately did not reach it. The area of Gohma's Pass was precisely what the two leaders of the Blin race wanted for their people.

Within the volcanic lands infested by various species of Gohma, the Bulblins were quick to learn that the giant arachnids made for good and plentiful food for their people, while the plant life proved to be sufficient for their mounts to grow into a sizable herd.

While not as safe as they would have been within the forest surrounding Mount Hylia, the Bulblins would come to enjoy the challenge of living within the Magtail's Valley.

The Rito had taken to hunting within the Hyrule forests. The over population of Kargaroks, and the odd Helmaroc proved to be an open invitation to the winged hunters. Soon the skies were filled with the feathered hunters. Though they gladly kept the feathers as their prize, the meat from the dangerous birds went toward some of the less fortunate villages around the area. The gesture made the Rito extremely popular with the common folk, as well as raised them in the eyes of the King.

The return of Arn of Calatia had caused an uproar around Castle Town. After nearly twelve years, the former Knight Commander had returned from Mount Hylia. With him he brought detailed maps and etching of what he had seen. The one thing that the man regretted in his return...was, oddly enough, his son.

His "father" was hailed as a hero, but the youngling wanted nothing to do with the man. Arn took it very personally that his son avoided him like he had the plague. The boy, now that he could be seen side by side with the man, was the spitting image of his father. What none of the realized was that, given that he had been through so much in his young life on his own, was that Link didn't want or need to e treated as a child. The only one that seemed to understand it, however, was Rusl.

In the days coming after the war's end, Rusl saw to Link's training with renewed vigor. Both he and his apprentices sparred constantly, getting a feel for each other's individual skills. Groose was a heavy hitter, favoring his mace over swords or bows. His strength was well beyond any child of his age group, he was even capable of wielding signature Hylian shield, though he was still far too small to heft the larger Knight's shield.

Pipi was the brains of the group, and would make a fine captain in his later days if he survived training. He was quick and agile, well on his way to mastering the sword, and bow. He also had a fine head on his shoulders for problem solving, often getting the better of Groose when he tried to outsmart him. Groose, however, had his share of brains.

He liked spending his free time with Gondo, the castle smithy. The idea he came up with at times were wild, and often wouldn't work if put to the forge, but one such idea had Gondo complimenting the boy. A crossbow he called it. It was a more powerful type of bow that launched a smaller dart, but took a little time to load. Still, Gondo praised his idea, and even came up with a larger version that would launch spears and harpoons.

Link was the full package.

Fierce, cautious, and ruthless.

His skills with the blade were fantastic, as were his skills in archery, as he demonstrated several times over. His skills at riding were just as good as his archery skills. The only shortcoming he actually had was his reading, and social skills.

Two skills that were widening with each moment he spent with the princess.

It honestly surprised Rusl when he saw the two of them together. Zelda obviously had a little thing for his apprentice, but looking at Link, he could see something much deeper there. The boy actually smiled around her. When not practicing his skills, he would often be found by her side. He spoke with Pipit and Groose, and the Commander could see that they were friends, but Link came alive when the young princess was around.

Arn was often in attendance when the boy was with her, however, and listened to them. In this way, though it felt shameful, the man learned of his son. For Zelda could not help but want to know more of Link's home in the forest. And he told her.

He told her everything. Of his little home in the giant oak tree that he'd carved out by himself. Of his friends within the forest, of the kindhearted Saria that had raised him from a baby, and of the Great Deku Tree that had been like a father to him and taught all that he knew. He also told her of his frustrations of not being able to return the Kokiri Emerald to his former people.

And thus, Arn thought of a way to at least get his son to trust him.

=x=

The entrance to the Lost Woods was just as he remembered it. Quiet, peaceful. The sounds of birds and insects singing were like a welcoming verse for him as he rode side by side with Groose, Pipit, and Rusl. Behind them rode the princess, eager to finally see something beyond the castle walls, and at her side was Impa, as always. Behind them, at a slower pace, rode Arn.

Rusl looked back at him and frowned, pulling his mount back beside the man, "Are you planning to sulk the whole way?" He asked, looking at the man's sullen expressing. He was dressed in typical Rito style, having become accustom to it in his years away, even having a feathered headdress. at his hip, he wore the Royal Knight's broadsword, signifying his status as a high-ranking Knight.

"I'm just hoping that this will let him open up to me," he sighed, looking down at his saddle. "I...I haven't even spoken to the boy since you first told me." He looked up ahead at the boy, "And seeing him fighting against a Bulblin King when he's so small, I - "

"Arn, I'm going to tell you the same thing you told me when I was first wounded under your care," Rusl sighed, looking the man in the eyes, "Get over it."

Arn looked at him sharply, anger in his eyes, "He's still my son."

"He's also the most amazing young man I've ever met," Rusl said, "If you can't see him for what he truly is, a warrior incarnate, then you'll never reach him."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Arn hissed quietly, "I've only held him once, the day he was born, and since then I've thought he was killed with his mother. Nothing could have held me here save for him! And now he thinks I'd abandoned him!"

"He doesn't think that," Rusl said, shaking his head, "And he hasn't lacked for love, either. You've heard the way he talks about this place."

Arn frowned, because he had heard him speak of it. He spoke of the forest with love, and longing, like that of a home not seen in decades. Like a soldier.

As the two men spoke, the boys halted at a rope bridge that would lead them deeper into the forest. "Is this it?" Pipit asked excitedly.

Link nodded, and pulled out his old, to him, occarina, and started playing a soft, jaunty tune.

"I didn't know you could play," Zelda said delightedly as she pulled up beside him.

Link smiled at her, "Mother taught me how to play." He looked ahead of them, and dismounted.

Zelda looked ahead as well, and was shocked to see a tiny green-haired girl coming toward them. At first, she had thought Link was small, but seeing this girl made him look...normal. The girl was a full head shorter than he was at only three feet tall. But she looked to be healthy and lively as she jogged across the bridge toward them.

"Congratulations, my dear one," Impa whispered to her, "You're about to meet your first Kokiri."

The girl giggled and jumped to embrace the young Hylian. " _Vah van turcah!_ " ( _You came back!_ )

Link laughed with her and swung her around, " _Bah vuct'san'antah Ch'ah k'ir._ " ( _Of course I did._ ) He laughed as he set her back down, " _Csei s cart ran'cuzo ch'eo vamci._ " ( _This is still my home._ )

The girl stepped back, looking him over with eyes so green that they looked like emeralds. She placed her hands on her hips, smiling, " _V_ _ah viz vsarv ch'an'ciuh nah tun'hn vah tir nen._ " ( _You've grown since you left us._ )

Link smiled bashfully, scratching at the back of his head, " _Ch'ah viz cart csso ch'a tucim._ " ( _I've been through a lot._ ) He said, reaching into his tunic, and pulling out Farore's Spirit Stone, " _Ch'ah van ch'at csosn'ah csah csei s_." ( _I came to return this._ )

The girl's smile nearly split her face in two as she reached out and took the stone gently in her hands. Nodding gratefully to the boy in front of her, she looked behind him toward the others that had gathered. "You've brought guests." She said in fluent Hylian, smiling at the three other children.

Link nodded, stepping aside to introduce them, "These are the people that helped me," he said as Groose and Pipit hurriedly got down from their ponies. "My friends, Groose and Pipit." He said when the two stepped up, "This is my mother, Saria."

"Wow, she's tiny - OOF!" Groose started but was elbowed by Pipit with a dirty look cast his way. "What?"

Pipit huffed, "He means it's nice to meet you ma'am," he said, giving a short, polite bow. "Link's told us a lot about you."

Saria giggled at their antics, "I hope he hasn't been much trouble," she said, smiling at the boy as he frowned, "He's been known to be a little bit of a prankster."

"He is?" Both boys asked, flummoxed. Link always seemed way too serious in their opinion.

Zelda was next to dismount as the introductions went on. Upon seeing her, the tiny forest girl smiled. "And who is this?"

"Zelda," the girl said for herself, giving a small curtsy. "Link's told me so much about you, and this forest."

Saria smiled at her, "I'm glad he's not forgotten us after being gone for so long." She said, looking back at Link, "I do worry about you, K'et."

Link's ears drooped a little, "You know I can get by on my own, Csen'ai."

"What did they call each other?" Arn asked, not knowing the Forest Tongue.

"Son, and Mother," Impa supplied.

Saria looked at the three adults, and frowned, "If the adults enter the Lost Woods, the forest will take them." She said, looking at Link with worry, "They can't enter without the blessing of the great tree."

Link nodded a little sadly, and looked back at the adults, "You'll need to stay here."

"Out of the question," Arn said, dismounting, "The forest is dangerous, and I can't - "

Link fixed him with a gaze so cold that Arn felt as if he were looking at a wolf ready to slaughter a lamb. "The forest is my home before the walls of a castle," he frowned, "Don't insult my home, or my family."

With that, the boy turned on his heel, and marched across the bridge. Arn made to follow him, but Impa stopped him. "Don't. Link is right. If any of us entered the forest without the blessings of a Deku Tree, we'd be turned into Stalchildren within hours."

"Groose, Pipit, you'll go with him, won't you?" Rusl smiled at the pair.

The two boys nodded, and hurried after their friend. Zelda was right behind the, much to Impa dismay, "Dear one."

Zelda looked back at her, and smiled, "I'll be fine, Sensei." She said impishly, and hurried after the boys.

Arn, looking at the retreating form of his son, could only watch. Rusl came up and clapped him on the shoulder, "He's not a child anymore, my friend...he's my apprentice." He said, looking after the boys, "And someday, my replacement."

=x=

Saria led them through the Kokiri village, all of them drawing the eyes of the tiny villagers. Holding the Kokiri Emerald for all of them to see, each and every one of them bowed before the girl as she passed. Link felt a pang of guilt as they passed through the short and narrow canyon where Mido stood guard. He was no longer there to stop them. Nothing was left guarding the Deku Tree's valley, not even the Deku Babas that Link had killed the first time around.

Zelda followed the young Kokiri-raised boy closely with Groose and Pipit following up behind her with their hands on their weapons, fingering them nervously as the entered the small meadow.

What greeted them was sad sight.

Link felt his heart clench painfully in his chest as he looked upon the decaying husk that the once Great Deku Tree had become. Leaves littered the ground around his roots, his branches like skeletal fingers reaching above him. His bark was rotted and peeling from his trunk, leaving half of his face completely gone.

Zelda's gasp was audible as she saw the fallen deity, her tears coming unbidden. "...oh, Nayru..."

Saria turned to her with sad smile of her own, "He was magnificent not so long ago," she said, stepping to the forefront of the group just in front of the tree, and got down on her knees, holding the stone above her head. " _Farore, Nunaten bah to Ch'asnisat, Ch'ah bacin'bah bah vah._ " ( _Farore, Lady of the Woods, I ask of you._ ) She spoke with the gentleness of a whisper, and the stone shone brightly in her hands, " _Csosn'ah csah csei s ran'rovehe'ah ch'an'eci ch'at veo sesvio't'san'ah, vim tir ten vez csaah._ " ( _Return this withered soul to your embrace, and let him live again._ )

Next to her, Link knelt beside her, his head bowed. Zelda followed suit as she tucked her dress in, and knelt beside the young Hero with Pipit and Groose following their actions.

As the glow brightened, a fierce breeze picked up. Leaves swirled around the stone, covering it as it lifted from Saria's hands, and drifted toward the ground. Zelda, Pipit and Groose watched in amazement as the stone sank below the soil. A moment later, a sprout started to grow from the same spot. The old tree began to develop cracks within the bark where green light shone through, a deep rumble sounding through the trunk.

As the little sprout grew into a sapling, a distinct face grew within the bark, and the old tree burst with a deep crack of splintering wood, and a gust of wind washing over the five of them.

A roar shook the air around them, forcing them to cover their ears as the air smelled of ozone. A deep impact shook the ground they sat upon, and the sound of a deep breath caused them to look up.

The tree was now a beautiful oaken tree with a smiling, albeit young, face as he looked down at the four beings. Behind him, however, the elder tree had disappeared, replaced by a gigantic being.

It wasn't his first time seeing one, but it was certainly his first time seeing one so large. The Dragon had long, twisted golden horns that hung over a wizened reptilian face. His scales were almost leaf-like, and green as spring grass. Sparks of electricity jumped and flitted over his long serpentine body. Truly, no Dragon could hold a candle to this being.

He heard Zelda and his friends gasp when they saw the great creature. But there was no ill will from the beast. Those reptilian lips curled into a gentle smile as he looked down at the boy. "Link, my dear boy, you've grown so much in such a short time." He said, his voice warm and familiar.

Both Link and Saria were stunned as the Dragon spoke, the latter tearing up. "Great One!" Saria breathed out.

"No longer, my dear daughter," the Dragon chuckled deeply, "A new Deku Tree has grown. I am simply a watcher." He said, smiling at Link, "Link, my boy, you've done well." He said, the boy hanging his head, "Do not blame yourself for what happened to me. Many things now, will be never be the same as they should have been." He looked down at the young princess, who flinched, "Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

"Y-Yes, G-Great One?" Zelda stammered out.

Again, the Dragon chuckled, "Fear me not, dear one," he said, leaning down, his warm breath washing over her like a summer breeze, "I have a gift for you." He blew out a breath that knocked the girl's cap off of her head, letting her hair fly free as something settled on her head. "That circlet was made by the Oracle of Nayru. Fire will not harm you. Water and Ice are yours to command...use it wisely, young one."

Zelda took off the headpiece and marveled at the sapphire and silver circlet, "Thank you, My Lord." She said, placing it back on her head, "I'll treasure this always."

The Dragon nodded, and turned to Groose, "As for you, little one - "

"M-Me?!" Groose squeaked.

"Hold out your hands," the Dragon instructed. Groose did as he was asked, and a long, silvery shaft of a spear appeared in his hands, "This spear was wielded by the ancient Zoras before they adopted peaceful ways. It is light, and sharp, though I believe you will have to grow into it." He chuckled as the spear was a good four feet taller than the boy. He then turned his attention to Pipit, who was looking at his friend with slight jealousy. In his lap landed an odd re-curved bow, "For you, young Pipit, I give this bow crafted by the Yiga. The greatest of all archers."

His great head then turned to Link, "Link, I know that you've lost the shield you took from these woods," he said, and shook out his scales from whence fell a round, golden object. Link caught the object as it floated down to him and found it to be a beautiful golden shield. "That shield is called Daybreaker, a shield once held by a great Gerudo warrioress, strong and light enough for you to hold while in battle."

Link smiled up at him and placed the shield on his back, "Thank you, _Tisci._ " ( _Father._ ) The Dragon dipped his head, smiling fondly.

"These gifts, I'm afraid to say, may need to e used far soon than you may wish," the Dragon said, smiling at them, "Many things will begin to change now that I have come into this form." He said, looking down at Saria, "Saria, my dear daughter."

"Yes, Tisci?" She said, rising to her feet.

The Dragon then looked at her sadly, "I fear that I must ask something of you that you do not wish to come about."

Saria shook her head, clasping her hands together, "You bade me to protect this forest, and Link when he was a babe." She said, smiling up at the Dragon. " _Bacin'bah ch'ah veo vah baper, Ticsi._ " ( _Ask me what you wish, Father._ )

The Dragon nodded his head, "Then take these earrings made from the amber of the tree I once was," he said as a small glow drifted down from his horns, and flew down to Saria's ears where they stayed. "With these, you shall have power over the land, and all that grows within it." He said as Saria nodded, "And then...I want you to leave the forest."

"What?!" Link rose up, outraged, "But she'll die!"

"Link, your manners!" Saria hushed him, "Please, just listen, I'm sure he has a reason for this!"

"I do," the Dragon said, "And forgive me for frightening you, my child. But for what needs to be done, you will have to leave this forest and go to Hyrule. There, you will change. There, you shall be an Oracle of Farore."

Saria looked up at him, shocked, "An Oracle?" She breathed out, "Me?"

"An Oracle of each of the Goddesses will soon be needed." He went on, "When you leave here you will grow into an adult, and your aging will cease when you have reached the proper size of an adult. When the time is right, you and two others will give power to the Master Sword, and whoever pulls it from where it lay." At this he gave a pointed look at the three boys in the group, his emerald eyes lingering on Link with a knowing twinkle.

Saria smiled at his, "This is an honor I gladly except, Father." She smiled, but frowned, "But...who will protect the forest and teach the new Deku Tree?"

The Dragon chuckled heartily, "T'is I, Farosh, that shall teach the Sapling, and guard the forest." He roared, "For who would be foolish enough to trifle with a Dragon?"

* * *

 _ **The Stone of Courage has been returned, giving new life to the Lost Woods as the Great Deku Tree who raised Link is reborn as the Dragon Farosh. With gifts granted by the new guardian, Link now has someone within the castle walls to look to. How will Arn react in meeting Link's "mother"?**_

 _ **Trivia Answer: Ganondorf was speaking with Demise.**_

 _ **Leave a review if you liked the chapter!**_


	10. Chapter 10: The Gerudo Queen

_**Kingdom of the Dragon Arc**_

 _ **10: The Gerudo Queen**_

* * *

Aveil woke up feeling sore and bruised, as she always did whenever her King was through with her. This time had been the worst of them all. His fury over the loss of the Bulblins as pawns had sent the man into a blind rage, and he took that out on her in his bedchambers. As she tried to role out of bed, it was a wonder that she could even move her legs at all.

Wrapping her body in a coarse blanket used for her bed, she gathered her clothes and dressed. So many things had changed since Ganondorf had become their King. At first, she thought things would begin to get better for her people. He was to be their savior, giving them strong daughters to raise into the warriors that their people had once been. But it was all wrong.

He had been born, cut from his mother's stomach by the witches Koume and Kotake, and raised as their own, away from the tribe. Aveil, barely a babe herself at the time, was then taught to be a ruler. In her later years, the tribe prospered, having taken to going out into the lands of Hyrule to give a few lucky Hylians the night of their lives. Many daughters were born this way since the elders gave them herbs to promote fertility.

The Gerudo warriors had begun to rise again.

And then Ganondorf, named after the hideous demonic deity that Koume and Kotake worshiped, had come staggering out of the desert. By then, he was skinny, malnourished, and starved of water. Knowing who he was, the tribe had welcomed him home as their King, and Aveil had become his Queen. She thought there and then would begin their true rise.

But the witches had warped and twisted the King. He was cruel, and power-hungry. What child that were produced from him rarely lived beyond their first days. The ones that did were taken by Koume and Kotake after their first year, and never seen again. Aveil, though she hadn't told her King yet, was infertile. A great shame for someone in her tribe, even worse for the Queen. But as long as Ganondorf though he could produce a note-worthy heir whilst using her, then he would leave the rest of her sisters alone, and free to seek what they needed outside the village.

' _But,_ ' she thought as she looked upon her face in the mirror, a large bruise over her right eye, which was just barely open. ' _How much longer can I do this_ ' Ten years had already passed her by as the Queen-consort, and Ganondorf was getting impatient for an heir. If he found out she was infertile, then he would most likely banish her and take a younger consort as his wife.

There were laws, of course, that bound them together. The law of their village stated that unless one of them were killed, Ganondorf was not allowed to take another wife, and only allowed to take another woman if she consented. Which she had, multiple times as many women had wanted a child from Ganondorf in the first years of his reign. Now, however, he was avoided like the plague. Unless someone was desperately in want of a child, that is.

She loved and cherished her people, and wanted to protect them from anything that might harm them, and that included their own King.

" _Vod_?" (Sister?) Said a voice from outside her room, and in entered the room one of her warriors, carrying a large tri-pronged spear in her grasp. She frowned when she saw the state of her Queen, " _Kaysh tomad na kaya lo gar, narir va kaysh?_ " (He really laid into you, didn't he?)

Aveil nodded, " _Ni cuyir iviye at bic_." (I'm accustom to it.) She said, shaking her head, frowning as the motion gave her a slight headache. " _Vaii cuyir Naor?_ " (Where is the King?) She asked.

The woman shrugged, " _Ni tomad na narir va baatir._ " (I really don't care.) She said truthfully, " _Bic gotal'ur ni iupe ibac Ni jatne emuurir dala tion'tuur Ni ret' o'r mie dira, Aveil._ " (It makes me glad that I prefer women when I see you in such a state, Aveil.) She chuckled and reached for the pouch on her hip, taking out a small bottle of blue liquid, " _Pirur ibic_ " (Drink this.)

Aveil nodded gratefully, and accepted the bottle, drinking from it deeply. A pleasant burning sensation started around all of her bruising before fading away. The swelling in her eye was gone before she finished drinking, and the throbbing in her legs died down almost as quick.

" _Vor entye, ner vod._ " (Thank you, my sister.) She said, passing the bottle back to her.

The woman shook her head, frowning, "You should run from here," she said, speaking common Hylian, "You stay here, King finds you no can have child, he kills you." She said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Go, you live, and law protects us from him."

Aveil shook her head, "I not coward, Barta," she said, smiling at her, "I stay."

"Not coward," she said, flicking her in the head, "Stupid head!" She snapped, "Queen good woman, King, bad man, very bad." She went on, "You running not mean you coward. You running mean you smart. You live, not here, King not take new woman. You stay here, you die, King takes new woman, young woman. He rape her."

Aveil frowned at this. It was true, sooner or later, Ganondorf would kill her. No, he would brutalize her when he found out she couldn't bear his child. And he would undoubtedly rape his next chosen consort. "Barta," she said, looking at the woman, smiling sadly, "I...I need horse."

Barta nodded, smiling, "No come back here, sister," she said, patting her shoulder, "Never come back."

Ganondorf, though the man didn't know about it, was soon to be bereft of his wife. And he could not give a care about it. Currently the man was processing the news about sightings of a Dragon near the Lost Woods. The whole thing had rattled him. A Dragon would change his plans greatly.

"I thought Onox was the last one aside from that lesser beast sleeping in Death Mountain," he growled, looking over a map of the continent. "What's more, it's large. Most definitely not a lesser Dragon. If it's intelligent, then perhaps I can persuade it to my side?"

"Do not be foolish," Koume said, "This Dragon was not born of an egg as Onox was."

"T'was born of the corpse of The Great Deku Tree slain by our Gohma," Kotake said, "Something new awakened. Something we did not, could not foresee."

"The boy," Koume sneered, "His bond with the Tree gave the deity just enough will to stay attached to the mortal world, and be reborn."

Ganondorf snarled, his fists clenching into the parchment, "That brat again!?" He swept the map off of the table in a rage, "What is it about that boy that makes him so untouchable?!"

"Me thinks we should move our plans along," Koume said, "You should go to Holodrum, and tell Onox to move forward with the ritual."

"I will tell Veran as well," Kotake said, "She will be glad to do something about that Queen of hers. Also, i believe she's been keeping a close watch over the Oracles."

"They will be vital to the ritual," Koume said, "Meanwhile, I will think of a way to retrieve our sacrifice."

Ganondorf growled, "And how will you do that?" He snapped, "The Bulblins were one thing, but if one of you is caught, then Hyrule will march against me before my plans come to fruition!"

The twin witches cackled, "Do not fear the boy, my lord," Koume laughed, "We will lure him to Holodrum into Onox's grasp."

"Or do you think that little runt of a child is capable of defeating a Dark Dragon of old?" Kotake laughed.

"You seemed to think him dangerous enough for me to kill him," the man sneered, "And look where that has gotten me! He's untouchable as it is now! And now that blasted brat has brought forth a Dragon of his own! One that raised him!"

The twin laughed once again, "Onox has dealt with his own kind before," they said in unison, "Do not forget how he dealt with the last one four hundred years ago."

"I wasn't around," he reminded them, frowning, "But you have a point, Onox is indeed experienced in killing his own kind...very well, make the preparations. I will leave tonight."

"It will be done," the twins said, and disappeared in a flash of fire and ice.

Ganondorf frowned once again, going toward the wall of his room where a larger map of the continent, red threads tacked all over it, "Where are you?" He wondered aloud, "Twenty years of searching, and not a damned sign of the tomb."

He thought of asking his inner voice for guidance, but the being never gave him a straight answer when he wanted one.

"I'll find you," he reached up and touched the map, "And then not even the Master Sword of legend will be able to stand in my way, no matter who wields it!"

Unbeknownst to Ganondorf as his council with the witches comes to an end, Aveil, proud Queen of the Gerudo, rides away just before dawn. Lost in his own machinations, it would be hours before he realized that she was missing.

Instead of fleeing into the desert as one of her sisters had done not so long ago, Aveil spurred her mount toward the green fields of Hyrule, and prayed to Din that she would find sanctuary there.

=x=

Three days had passed by since the birth of Farosh. Within that time, Saria was taken from the Lost Woods, and brought to Hyrule Castle. She was received with teh greatest honors the King could give, and granted a room withing the palace. Within those three days, Saria had also started growing quite rapidly, and on the third day she reached full adult size.

She was now roughly the same height as Rusl, though he was not considered fairly tall for a human, the new size was quite a change for the new Oracle. Her hair now reached well past her hips, nearly dragging the floor, and her ears were now longer than even most Hylians tended to be.

She also occupied a seat on the King's council. A child of Farore she may have been, but she was no less wise, given that she was well over two hundred years old. She also took on the lesson Horwell usually gave to the Princess and Link. The young Hero was happy to have her near once again. he hadn't realized just how much he missed her. But now he had to wonder just who would take her place as the Sage of the Forest Temple.

"Don't take your eyes off your opponent," Arn yelled out as his wooden training sword crashed against Link's Daybreaker shield, startling him out of his thoughts. Arn, smiled as his son staggered back with a frown on his face, "Now don't look at me like that, Link, you're the one that was wool-gathering in the middle of a spar."

In answer, the boy launched himself forward, his sword out in a thrust. Arn raised his own shield to parry the blow, but Link whipped around and slammed his own shield against it, jarring the man's arm as Link landed, and used his short legs to sweep Arn's right out from under him. Arn managed to catch himself before he hit the ground too hard, and kicked the boy's shield, and sent him sprawling.

Link rolled with the momentum, and dashed around the more experienced Knight before he could right himself. Arn was forced to hit his knees before the wooden sword his son wielded struck his armor, and block it with his sword, just barely avoiding the quick movement. He then jumped back to his feet before the young Page could get at him again.

' _Hylia, Rusl was right about him,_ ' he thought proudly, ' _No wonder Ganondorf had a hard time with him!_ ' True, Arn was proud of how well the boy could fight, but he still had a long way to go. He noticed that he wore a worn Goron bracelet, which provided added strength. It was no wonder the boy had such a powerful strike with his sword.

"Good," he complimented, "Very good, Link. But is that all you have?" He smirked as the look in the boy's eyes changed. It was the same ferocious look he always had when he took a fight seriously.

Link charged him again, darting to one side and then the other before darting back and rolling behind him, and under his guard, and brought his sword up across Arn's unguarded back. The force of the blow sent Arn staggering forward, and Link jumped into the air above him, and rolled, his sword spinning through the air and striking the helmet Arn wore.

The piece of armor clanged and clattered to the ground, a visible dent in the metal.

Arn's ears were ringing loudly from the impact, and he shook his head to clear the noise. He then looked down at his son in pure shock because of what he'd done. And then he saw the smug look on his face. "What?" The boy asked, "You asked for it."

The man looked from the boy to his dented helmet, and started laughing, "Aye, I suppose I did!" He said, placing the sword at his hip, "You did well. Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

Link shrugged, "By fighting."

Arn was confused by this, but before he could ask what he meant Rusl called out. "It won't do any good asking him where he learned to fight," the man laughed, "That's the only answer he'll give."

Link frowned at the Knight Commander, "It's a good answer."

"For most, it would be," Impa said as she sauntered onto the field with Zelda at her side, both dressed in their own training gear. "What they really want to know is who taught you how to fight like that, little one."

"Huh?" Now Link looked confused, "No one taught me, I learned to fight the way I do by staying alive."

Arn frowned at this, while Impa nodded respectfully, "I see, so you pretty much just came up with those techniques on your own while fighting enemies."

Link nodded at this. "Well, yeah, Kokiri don't fight unless we have to, so there was no one around to show me how to fight," He said, sliding his shield to his back, "If I didn't learn how to fight fast, then I would've been killed by that Gohma inside The Great Deku Tree."

"And you've done quite well," Rusl put in as Arn was at a loss, "Once you've got some size on you, some of your moves would prove fatal to even seasoned Knights like Arn and myself."

Link shook his head, "I don't kill people."

"What does Ganondorf count as?" Zelda asked, confused. Surely the young Page viewed the man as a person, didn't he? But cold look that entered Link's eyes was all that she needed as an answer.

"I think he used to be normal," Link saud truthfully, "But normal people can't control Gohma like he did."

Impa nodded in agreement, "He's right, even I can sense something off about the man when he's near." She admitted, but then shrugged, "But, thanks to you, young Link, he's been banished from Hyrule."

"That won't stop him," Link put in. He knew exactly what the man wanted. If the future he knew was to come about, then Ganondorf would drive out all of the Hylians and Humans, even his own people, and monsters would rule over the land. The boy then looked to the Princess, "How's it going with the circlet?"

Zelda flushed, reached up to the piece sitting upon her head, "Not very good." She relented, "Somehow this thing doesn't...well, it doesn't feel like it belongs to me." She said, frowning, "All I can manage to do with it is move a small amount of water around, and sometimes I can turn it to ice, but nothing more than that."

Impa reached down and patted her on her head, "It is an item made from magic, Dear One," she reminded the girl, "It will take some time before it begins to respond to you in a positive way."

"I suppose so," the girl pouted, "But it's frustrating. More so than my martial arts training."

"Oh?" Impa smiled at her, "Then perhaps a few more lessons would make up for that, hm?"

Zelda shook her head vigorously, her blonde curls bouncing, "N-no need for that!"

Rusl and Arn chuckled, "Well," Rusl smiled, "I would say that it's about time for the evening patrol." He turned to his former mentor, "Arn, would you mind taking the boys out? Uli could use a brake tonight with Colin, and I would love to spend a little more time with my boy."

Arn nodded, "I know how you feel," he said, looking down at Link, who turned away with a bit of a huff, "I'll gather the other boys together and we can ride out within the hour."

Link was about to head to the stables to saddle up Epona when Zelda skipped to his side, "Link, would you mind if I tagged along?" She asked, a small blush on her cheeks, "I wanna check on Tess before dinner."

Impa caught sight of the tips of Link's ears darkening with his own blush. "Sure. Epona might like seeing you, too." The boy said, showing off a happy smirk on his face.

The Sheikah woman rolled her eyes, "Remember, Dear One, you're still far too young to role in the hay!"

"IMPA!" Zelda shouted, scandalized.

Rusl had to restrain his laughter as the whole thing was lost on poor Link, "You know that doesn't do any good on Link's part, right?" He asked as Arn chuckled.

Impa just shrugged as the two youngsters jogged off, "I realize it, but teasing my little one never gets old," she said, smiling. "But I would explain to the boy about the insinuations of them being alone for any extended amount of time before the become older. Link would be about twelve, now, and quite suspect in some fool's eyes."

Arn looked at her, "Surely it's not so bad?" He asked, looking after his son, "They're only children, after all."

"And Link is very mature for his age, despite his size," Impa pointed out, "And I've seen the way he looks at my dear one. While it would be best if the Princess chooses a potential husband before her sixteenth birthday, there are several that would say that she's already chosen. And I believe Link would be happy to be chosen."

Rusl nodded, "He will make a good replacement for me, indeed...he just needs to come out of that shell of his."

Arn released a sigh, "And now I'm one step further out of his life," he groaned, "I just can't catch a break, can I?"

"Don't say that," said a new, lyrical voice as Saria came strolling up to them, "Link is always this way around strangers. It just takes him a little while for him to warm up to people."

Arn and Rusl bowed their heads to the Oracle, while Impa knelt, "Lady Saria."

Saria blushed heavily, "Oh, please stop doing that!" She whined quite childishly, "It's bad enough that I have have two extra pounds on my chest, but I don't need my friends treating me like some form of royalty!"

The two men tried to ignore the mention of those 'two extra pounds' as they raised their heads. Saria, like Link, was still getting used to castle life. Impa smiled at her, "Count yourself lucky, my dear," she told the Oracle, "Most women your age would kill for a figure like yours."

"If you're talking about these lumps of fat on my chest that the guards can't seem to stop staring at," Saria shivered, having grown displeased at such leering looks, "Then I would rather be my original size again."

"They're just admiring your beauty," Arn put in, trying to put the woman at ease. Though it was odd, the woman was strangely attractive in an ethereal sort of way. She did not wear such gaudy dresses that showed of great amounts of skin, yet the silken emerald green dress she would clung to her curves quite nicely. And as far as her current problem, she did have a modest bust, not at all overly large like some of the women he had seen in his younger days.

But Saria only pouted, "I would rather they not ogle me like a piece of meat," she said, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her amber earrings sparkling in the fading sunlight, "Either way, if you're trying to get Link to open up to you, Arn, just take it slow. You're already making progress."

"How so?"

Rusl looked at him, "He spoke to you without being spoken to first," the man said, gaining a nod from the boy's 'mother'. "It took him a while to do that with me and the boys."

Arn frowned, "Well, I guess I shook take what I can get." He said, moving off toward the stables. "I see you all tomorrow, provided we're not out too late."

=x=

Day passed into night as the small patrol made their round around the fields that evening. With four of them, the group had split into two, Pipit going with Link, and Groose staying with Arn. Link was more than happy with the arrangement as he and Pipit had become close friends during their training together, and reading lessons he helped him with.

The boy was fingering the Yiga bow at his back, feeling uncomfortable with its size. "Say, Link, how do you use that bow of yours when it's too big for you?" He asked, looking at the bow on Link's back, "I can't even draw this thing all the way back."

Link shrugged, "It's easy. Just turn your hand over on the string from how you'd normally hold it, and use three fingers, or four if need it," he explained, demonstrating as he mimed holding a bow, but his hand was turned upside down, his thumb pointing downward, "this let's you get more of a draw on the bow."

Pipit tried it out by taking his bow from his back and drawing it back. The bow bent much better than when he tried to draw it normally. He carefully let it back down, taking great care not to let the string snap him in the arm. He smiled at his friend, "Thanks, Link." He said, "I was really worried I wouldn't get the hang of this thing, like Groose."

Link cocked his head, "Is he having trouble?" He asked, looking surprised, "Zelda said she was having trouble with her magic, too."

Pipit frowned, "Yeah, but that's magic, it's always hard to learn," he said, then perked up, "Hey, I just remembered, you used magic against that Bulblin when you fought him, right?"

"Yeah, but that's just channeling what magic I do have into my sword, and letting it loose one huge wave," Link relented, "I can use a couple of spells, but other than that, I suck at magic."

"You know some spells?" Pipit practically glowed with interest, "Which ones?"

Link shrugged, "The three spells of the Goddesses. Farore's Wind, Din's Fire, and Nayru's Love."

Pipit was more than a little shocked. Those spells were usually reserved for priestesses, or Oracles. He had heard tales of several priestesses in service to the an Oracle of Nayru call upon Nayru's Love to form a giant shield to protect the kingdom against attack. Still, if his friend was taught by a Deku Tree, then it shouldn't come as a surprise that he knew a few powerful spells.

"So," Pipit said, deciding to change the subject, "Are you and your dad getting on alright?"

Link's ears twitched in annoyance, "Apart from when we train together, he treats me like a kid," he frowned, "I don't understand why he won't just let me be."

"But you are a kid, Link," Pipit reminded him, frowning, "Look, I get that you've already been through a lot, and can do some things that Groose and I can't, but you're still just a kid, like us." Link grimaced at him for a moment, remaining silent, "I mean, think about it. You're small, and his son, and he saw you fight against that Bulblin like a seasoned Knight. You made Rusl proud, but Arn was probably terrified of losing you."

Link frowned, "I don't need him to coddle me," the boy said, growling slightly, his hands tightening on Epona's reigns, "I get that he wants to be a part of my life, but I don't need a guardian. I need...I don't even know what I want from him!"

Pipit looked at him, a hint of jealousy in his eyes, "You know, if either of my parents were alive," he started, thinking back on his mother, "I'd just want them around."

Link looked at his friend, and saw how inconsiderate he'd been, "Sorry," his ears drooped, "I didn't mean it like that. Besides, just because I don't need him to protect me...doesn't mean I don't want him around."

Pipit would have said something, but Grey, his horse, and Epona, tossed their heads and snorted in agitation. "Whoa, what the- "

"They smell something they don't like," Link said, trying to calm his little mare, "Easy, girl, it's alright."

Her front left hoof came down on something with a loud crunch, and Link looked toward the ground. It was littered with bones. Pipit saw them as well, "Uh, Link, what are - "

"Stalfos," Link frowned, and dismounted, "A lot of them."

Pipit followed suit, "Are they all dead?" He asked, kicking a stray femur.

Link nodded, kneeling down to pick up what looked like part of an arm, "Yeah, someone got to these things way before we got here." He said, looking up at his friend, "I can't tell how long ago, though."

The younger Page began looking around the area, "Maybe whoever killed these things left a trail?" He said, following the bones, "Ah, there're some footprints here."

Link got up, "Let's see where they lead," he suggested, and began looking through his saddlebags for a lantern, "Whoever did all of this might be hurt. And anyone that can kill this many Stalfos is okay in my books."

Pipit looked at him with a smirk, "You mean you'll be nice right off the bat?"

"Hey, I'm always nice!" Link protested, and lit his lantern with a flick of his finger. The two walked their horses through the trail of bones, keeping their eyes glued to the ground and the trail of barefooted prints on the ground. Link was the first to see a thin line of blood glistening in the grass. Whoever had killed the Stalfos hadn't walked away unscathed.

Pipit frowned, "It's kinda fresh," he said, looking at his friend, "think we should send up a flare?"

Link shook his head, "It might spook whoever did this if they're still alive," he said, continuing on, "I'd rather find them and make sure we're not chasing a corpse before we let the others know where we are."

"Did I mention I'm afraid of the dark?"

"Oh, come on, Pipit!"

Pipit chuckled nervously as the pair of them moved through the dark. They came upon an area trampled by horse hooves, and bony feet as well as a pair of humanoid feet. And blood...lots and lots of blood.

"This can't all be from a person, can it?" Pipit gagged at the sight of the red-stained grass.

"It's horse blood," he said, holding his lantern up, and revealing mangled carcass of a small horse. Link recognized the breed; a Gerudo desert racer. The person they were tracking was from the desert.

Pipit gagged again at the sight. The poor things was torn to pieces. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Hold it in," Link said, clapping him on the shoulder. "We need to find the rider."

Pipit nodded nervously as the plodded along. "We're getting pretty close to the river," Pipit noted, "I can smell the water."

"She probably needed to clean her wounds." Link pointed out.

"She?" Pipit questioned.

Link nodded, "The horse was from the desert, and no one there besides Ganondorf is a man." He pointed out, "It's got to be a woman."

"At least it's not Ganondorf," Pipit frowned, "I wouldn't want to meet him in the dark of night like this."

"Ganondorf wouldn't have been wounded by something as weak as Stalfos." Link said, "If anything, the Stalfos would more than likely have been running from him."

Pipit looked at him a bit nervously, "You know, the way you talk about him, you sound like you're scared of Ganondorf?"

"I am," Link admitted without shame, "He's dangerous, Pip."

"Well, yeah, but - do you smell smoke?" Pipit asked out of nowhere, sniffing.

Link shook his head, pointing ahead of them, "I _see_ fire."

Ahead of the two boys, glistening on the banks of the river was a small campfire. Driven forward by the urgency of their curiosity, the two hurried forward. What they found was indeed a woman. Laying out on a torn blanket was a tall, slender Gerudo woman. She was dressed in the typical open top that exposed her shoulders and midriff, as well as a blue veil that covered her face partially. Open her head was a circlet of gold with a single large diamond at her forehead along with a pair of topaz earrings, both of which were emanating magic.

The woman, whoever she was, was sound asleep, whether from exhaustion from the fight, or her wounds, she didn't hear them approach. Around her middle was a bloodied bandage, wrapped hastily to stanch the bleeding. Wasting no more time, Link and Pipit took out their signal flares, and lit them, sending the little rockets into the sky as the burst, lighting the sky up with red sparks.

The two boys would stay by the woman's side until Arn and Groose arrived some hours later. The night was waning as the four came together once again. It would be another three hours past dawn before the small patrol frantically rode through the gates of Castle Town, their horses tired and hungry, their riders more so. The woman in their care, Gerudo or not, was taken to the palace to be healed.

The fact that she was in possession of magical artifacts had Link on edge, but this woman was not Ganondorf. If she was a threat, he would gladly wait until she proved it.

* * *

 _ **Little dark, this chapter, but meh, Ganondorf is an...well, ass. Aveil manages to escape from her husband, only to find trouble where she hoped to find sanctuary. But now she is safe...or is she?**_

 ** _Trivia: Why would Groose and Zelda be having trouble with their gifts?_**

 ** _Don't forget to review...pretty please? :P_**


	11. Chapter 11: The Runaway Princess

_**Kingdom of the Dragon Arc**_

 _ **11: The Runaway Princess**_

* * *

Hours after dawn, the king and his generals were meeting about the newest addition to the castle. The Gerudo woman was badly injured, aside from the gash on her stomach, the poor woman had been horribly beaten. Impa had been beside herself with rage at the woman's appearance, and was nearly in need of restrain; a rather large shock for many that knew the normally calm woman.

In front of of the five men were the woman's magical artifacts. The diamond circlet, and topaz earrings both had very powerful magic welling up from them. For a Gerudo woman to wield such items would mark her as a person of great importance.

"Why would she flee, though?" Thenardier wondered aloud, frowning at the items, "If she were important, then she would have been treated well."

Impa shook her head, "Not necessarily," she said, frowning, "Ganondorf is not a kind ruler, we all know that from how he's acted in the past." She reached out and took one of the earrings between her fingers, "And only a few of the warriors would wear even on set of artifacts like these, let alone two." She said as electricity sparked from the piece of jewelry. "I believe we have someone in our midst that's far more important than we believe."

Daphnes frowned in thought as the woman placed the small jewel back by its mate, "When she wakes, then we shall have our answers." He said, shaking his head, "But we mustn't crowd her. If those wounds are anything to go on, then the poor woman's been through quite a lot during the last day our so." He looked the the Sheikah woman, "Impa, I'd like you to watch over her while she rests. Having another woman around may also comfort her." He said when a thought struck him, "And have young Link in attendance. He's rather well versed in her language, and it may prove useful if she doesn't speak our language."

Impa nodded. She was fair with the language, but even she had to admit that she didn't speak it as well as the little forest dweller. "Speaking of which, what shall we do about her when she awakens?" Impa asked, shaking her head, "I refuse to let her go back to the desert if she fled because of all that bruising we found on her."

Daphnes nodded, "No need to worry yourself about that," he said, frowning, "I wouldn't wish such a thing on anyone, man or woman."

"Good," the Sheikah said with finality, and snatched up the two pieces, "I'll take these to the treasury, and have them locked up. If she wants them back, I won't hesitate to give them, but I won't have them being passed around with careless hands."

"Now see here," Thenardier said, "We should be studying those! It's not very often that we have magical artifacts in our midst. Lady Saria, and Princess Zelda's aside, that set of earrings and diadem are priceless research material."

The Sheikah regarded the man with a frown, "Lady Saria, and my little one's artifacts belong to them, and are there's to do with as they please," she said, frowning, "But these don't belong to someone within our courts. As such, they will be locked safely away until their owner can claim them properly."

Thenardier gaped after the woman as she left the council room with scowl on his face. Roland looked at the man and sighed, "Trying to argue with a Sheikah is never a good idea, Lord Thenardier."

"I can attest to that," the King said.

=x=

"Your Hylian's getting better, Komali," Link said to his feathered friend as the two of them finished up their lessons with Horwell. The young Ruto prince had been sent to join them not long after the war's end so that he would be well educated for his role as the next chieftain of his people.

"Horwell is a good teacher," the young Ruto smiled under the praise, but was glad that his language skills were getting better. "It is nice to study here. Many things here I have never seen before." He said, hefting the small stack of books under his arms, "Books we don't have, but your people have many."

Link nodded, smiling, "Yeah, and I'm still trying to get through this small picture book that Zelda gave me," he said, his ears drooping a little at the thought. "My reading still needs work."

"Mine, too." Komali said, grinning, and giving a wave to his friend, "See you on the morrow."

"Tomorrow," Link agreed before he turned down the hallway that lead to his quarters. Strangely, Zelda hadn't joined them for their lessons this time, and it was slightly worrying to Link that she would miss them.

As he was descending the stairs, he nearly blundered right into Impa, who, for once, looked frantic. "Link!" She breathed out, "Thank Naryu! Have you seen the princess?"

Link cocked his head, "I thought she might be with you," the boy said, "She missed our lessons with Horwell this morning, and I figured you'd be out training with her."

Impa shook her head, "I thought she'd gone to her lessons this morning as well, but it seems she had an impromptu meeting with Zion, Thenardier's son, and things didn't end well."

Link's eyes flashed dangerously. "Did he hurt her?" He right hand already rising toward his sword.

Impa saw this, and frowned, "You can't attack him...yet, but I don't believe he's that stupid." She said, crossing her arms, "Else I would've flayed him alive long ago. No, I believe she may have fled the castle." The woman groaned, palming her face, "She couldn't have picked a worse time. I've been ordered to attend that woman your patrol brought in last night."

"I can find her," the boy said, his face showing little emotion to the woman, even though it was obvious to her that he was fuming. "If I take Epona out, I shouldn't take more than an hour or so before I bring her back."

Impa sighed, not seeing what other options she had at the moment, worried as she was, Link was her best choice given his devotion to the girl. "Alright, but be careful. And go down to the armory to get a Hylian tunic and cloak. I don't want anyone to know that you've ridden out in search of the princess until I'm certain that she'll be fine. Also, there is a small stash of Fire Arrows in the chest marked with Din's emblem. Take as many as your quiver can carry. If you run into trouble, shoot one into the air so that it can be seen from the castle walls. Only Royal Guards are allowed to use them, so we'll all know that something is wrong if we see it."

"I have a new bow that's more my size," he informed her, "Mother made it for me. Will a Forest Dweller's Bow be too small for the arrows?"

"No, that'll be fine, especially in your hands," she admitted, kneeling down in front of him and taking him by the shoulders, "Link, this is important. You must find the princess, and soon. Ganondorf may have caught wind of her being outside the castle, or worse, have someone out on the hunt for her. Bring her back, even at the cost of your own life if you must, but bring her back!"

Link's eyes turned to an unnatural blue that reminded the Sheikah woman of a beast, and the boy gave a curt nod before rushing off down the halls. Impa looked at his retreating form, sighing to herself. "He really would give his life for her, wouldn't he?"

=x=

It didn't take long for Link and Epona to tear down the streets of Castletown, a dark blue cloak fluttering from the youngling's shoulders. Beneath that cloak Link was barely recognizable as his new armor denoted his usual appearance. It was red, and covered in well-worn leather padding, not the best, but neither limiting his movement. His new bow at his back, a small sword at his hip, he looked like nothing more than a traveling huntsmen, albeit a young one.

As he tore out of the gates, he looked for signs of a small horse having been in the area. Tess, he noted as he had taken Epona from her pen, was missing as well, meaning that the princess had wanted to get well and far away from the castle as quickly as possible. The roads just outside of the castle were worn down by travel, but by large beasts such as oxen or fully grown horses. Tess' smaller hooves would stand out like a sore thumb if he could spot them under all the others.

His eyes caught sight of a line of small prints from a young animal. Leading away from the normal path, and heading for green fields. "Heading for Hyrule Ridge," the boy frowned and spurred his little filly into a gallop, "Come on, girl, time to show me what you can really do!"

Epona whinnied loudly and took off, nearly throwing the boy in her eagerness. Even as a young foal, the little mare was fast, faster than any of the armored battle horses in the King's army. She could easily outrun any of them, and probably out pace them as well with her boundless energy.

Link kept his eyes trained on the trail, following Zelda's mount's prints. He was surprised when he kept following it, and came to the Manhala Bridge that let him pass into Hyrule Ridge, and ultimately into the Dalite Forest. Still, Zelda's trail went on.

He rested Epona as he came into the forest, noting that the sun was already beginning its noon descent. He'd been riding for well over an hour. He took a few sugar cubes from his pouch and gave them to a grateful Epona who crunched on them happily as Link petted her neck, "I wonder what happened to make her come this far?"

From there, he walked his little filly, taking the path slowly so that she could cool down. Zelda's trail was getting clearer the farther he went, and he noticed that she too had started walking Tess. She wasn't wearing her usual dainty slippers, but boots meant for travel. Just how far did the little princess intend to go?

As he continued on, he caught the scent of water, a lot of it.

"Must be a lake," he said out loud, Epona giving a soft snort in reply.

Indeed, a lake lay before him as he came out of the forest and into a large plain area dotted with large trees, and a gleaming, glistening lake. Zelda's trail was heading right for it.

He led Epona to the lake, letting the little filly drink as she had cooled down from her run as he knelt down to take a drink himself. "I've never been this far from home before." He spoke out, "I never know such a beautiful forest existed aside from the one I grew up in."

He turned around, looking at the small shape nestled against the belly of her little white mare, her legs pulled up to her chest, her face hidden in her knees. Gone was the pretty little pink-clad princess, now a small, ordinary girl took her place dressed a ragged blue tunic and brown pants. Her hair was hidden beneath a red bandanna, making it nearly impossible to tell who she was.

Link rose and crouched down in front of her, "Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head.

Link blinked for a moment, "Did he yell at you?"

"No," she mumbled.

He smiled then; he'd gotten her to talk. "Do I need to hurt him?"

Finally, Zelda looked up, her face streaked and red from tears, "Would you?"

"All you have to do is ask, and I'll do anything for you," He said with a grin he rarely showed to anyone else save for her, "He won't dare bother you again if you want me to make him leave you alone."

Zelda frowned, and rested her chin on her knees, "That's not what I want."

Link cocked his head curiously. "Then what do you want me to do?"

Zelda bit her lip, "Would you really do anything I asked?"

"If I can manage it, then yeah, of course I will," he nodded, curious to know what she would ask.

The girl hugged her knees to her chest tighter. "Could you make so that I wasn't a princess?"

Now Link looked confused, "Uh, I don't know if I can do that."

"It's easy," Zelda mumbled, "If we keep going, we'll eventually get to some place that no one knows who I am." She said, burying her face back into her knees, "That way...that way I won't have to have my husband picked for me!"

The young Page's ears twitched at this, "What did Zion do to you to make you want to run away from home like this?"

Zelda shook her head, "Not just him. The members of my father's council, too." The girl said, her voice muffled, and her shoulders shaking. "I'm allowed to wait until I'm sixteen before I make my choice, but the only ones that aren't pushing me toward that fool, Zion, are my father and Impa!"

"Then just say _no_ ," Link shrugged, "I don't know much about marriage and all that, but Mother told me that liking the person you marry is pretty important, and you don't like this Zion _rect'tin'ecot_ , right?"

Zelda actually giggled, "What was that you just called him?"

" _Rect'tin'ecot_ ," he repeated, tapping his nose with a sly grin, "It mean's _fool_ in the Forest Tongue."

Zelda giggled again, "You're right, on both fronts," she relented, sighing as she unwrapped her arms from her knees, and reached around to stroke Tess' mane. "I despise Zion, really. His father is a good man, but Zion is...spoiled, and cruel." She grit her teeth tightly, "The way he looks at me makes me feel so dirty that I want to scrub my skin raw when I bathe after meeting with him. And I often hear talk of how he treats women he beds." She shook her head, "I already has a fair few illegitimate children that his father's trying to cover up without incident, but it's too late to save his reputation."

Link titled his head, his eyes becoming hard, and angered, "Then why is he even a candidate for your husband?"

"Because he's rich, and from a powerful family in the nobility." She muttered angrily, "In other words, he's lining the pockets of his supporters, and doing everything he can to put himself on the throne."

" _Bircisb_ ," ( _Bastard_ )Link growled.

Zelda blinked, not knowing the word he used, "What was that?"

"Nothing," Link shook his head, sitting down beside her, "Anyway, I can't take you over those mountains, much as I'd like to." He sighed, "But I promised Impa that I'd bring you back, even if I died trying."

Zelda shot him a look, "I don't want you die," the girl said, her eyes glistening again with tears, "But...I don't want to go back if I have to marry someone like Zion."

Link frowned. He didn't like the idea of her marrying someone she didn't care for at all, lesser still, the idea that she would marry period made his stomach feel like he'd just swallowed a Hot-footed Frog. "You said that the Knight Commander could e your husband, right?"

"I did," she nodded, "But Rusl is married, and - "

"I'll take his place," the young Page said, smiling at her. "I'll be the new Knight Commander before you have to make your choice, and then Zion won't touch you."

Zelda flushed bright red at his proclamation, looking away from him in sheer embarrassment, "Link, that's not something you should say lightly!" She stammered, her face burning, "And no one's ever been named as the Knight Commander at such a young age!"

"And no one's apparently fought a fully trained Gerudo at my age, either," he grinning, wiggling his ears in a silly manner that made the girl laugh. He reached out, and took her left hand in his, smiling, "I don't know a whole lot, yet, but I learn more every day about being a Hylian. But I do know one thing, Zelda."

"What?" The girl shivered slightly as those eyes of his seemed to glow.

" _Ch'ah ch'acah vah_ ," Link smiled at her, and her blush intensified. She knew exactly what that phrase meant in his language. He then hauled her to her feet, "Now, let's go home, okay, Princess?"

=x=

"It's a good thing that the Oracles of Din and Nayru have weakened over time," said a women with blue/black skin, and pale hair as she observed the two bound figures, "Else we may have had trouble catching them, eh?"

Beside her floated the witch twins, Koume and Kotake, both cackling madly as they floated forward on their broomsticks, "Indeed," Kotake said as frost appearred around a lovely blue-haired young woman as she tickled her under her chin with a claw-like nail. "This one lost her emblems of power, thus becoming as weak as a normal witch, all she had left was her lovely little voice."

"And this one grew too confident in her powers," Koume cackled as she floated next to an equally beautiful Gerudo girl with flaming hair, and skin as rich as caramel. "Such a fool to think that she could fight off the two of us, and a Twili sorceress."

The twins turned to the sorceress, "You have done well, Lady Veran," Koume said.

"The revival of the Dark Beast will soon be upon us," Kotake smiled, rubbing her hands together, "All we need now is to wait for its vessel, and retrieve our sacrifice."

Veran crossed her arms, smiling, "When can we expect our little darling's arrival, Mistresses?"

"Oh, not long," Koume breathed out a small breath of flames.

"The fool girl has all but laid herself out on a silver serving dish for us," Kotake giggled, "And it will also aid in our disposal of a small thorn in our sides as well."

Veran giggled herself, "Ah, yes, the little boy that you've told me so much about." She smiled, "What wonders the Goddesses worked on that boy, I will need to find out."

"We shall leave that to our scaly friend," the sisters said as a large form shuffled around the room, the sound of scales scraping across the stone floors grating the ears of the captives. A massive black-horned head rose up with a snarl on its lips as red eyes peered down at the three witches.

"Oh, don't be cross, Onox," Veran giggled as the beast lowered its head toward her, a black haze drifting from the maw of teeth, "I think this form suits you much better than your human form. Much more forbidding."

The Dark Dragon hissed at her, turning its eyes on the two Oracles. "I sense another Oracle." The Dragon growled, "Farore's manifestation is not yet here."

"It is not her that we need, Onox," Koume pointed out, "T'is the youngling princess that we shall use as a sacrifice to Ganon so that he may inhabit our chosen vessel."

Onox pulled his lips back in a snarl, "If you think that he can handle the power of a Phantom Beast, then you must have high hopes for one that could not even find the Master Sword's brother." He said mockingly, "I pray that such high expectations will not be wasted on a lowly Gerudo."

"Do not worry," Kotake sneered at the beast.

"He is worthy." Finished Koume.

=x=

The castle was just coming into view as the two youngsters rode back into Hyrule Plains, both looking worn and tired from the long ride back. Dusk was just beginning to settle in as the sun passed below the mountains. Link frowned as the day darkened far quicker than he thought, and made to travel to Lon Lon Rank to avoid the deadly Stalfos that usually emerged from the ground during the night rather than risk the princess's safety.

But as he was about to turn their mounts, he heard the loud thundering of hooves.

"Link," the girl behind him whimpered as she heard it as well, "What is that?"

Link didn't answer, taking his bow from his back and knocking a Fire Arrow instead before loosing it into the sky where it exploded with a red burst of light. "Zelda, when I tell you to, ride for the castle, and don't you dare look back." He said, his voice having grown cold and hard.

Zelda looked at him in shock, shaking her head, "I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can, it's easy," he said, "Just ride."

"I won't!" Zelda said stubbornly.

Link knocked another arrow, twisting around in the saddle and fired right over the startled girl's shoulder. The screech of a Bokoblin as it erupted into flames reached her ears, startling her, and Tess, who gave out a frightened cry, and bolted for the castle, "TESS, NO!" The girl yelled, "LINK!"

"I'll be fine," he called after her, preparing another shot.

The Bokoblins, riding Bulbos, surged passed him, not interested in the boy. Growling, he spurred his little filly on, and took aim at the princess's pursuers. Loosing arrows as quickly as he could mark his target, the plains were awash with flames as he sped after them.

Zelda, foolish as it seemed, hazarded a glance over her shoulder as she clung to the saddle. It was to find a Bokoblin right on top of her, its club raised. "Stay away!" She raised her hand to defend herself, a burst of bright golden light erupting from her palm. The Bokoblin screeched as the light burned it, and fell from the saddle. Zelda, however, was not in a favorable position, either. The sudden, unexpected burst of magic had drained her to exhaustion, and the girl was now slumping over in the saddle.

One of the Bokoblins saw this and made to scoop her up as she began to fall, taking her from the saddle as one of its fellows took an arrow for it, turning its monstrous mount toward the South.

"ZELDA!" Link roared furiously, desperately trying to find a shot that would take out her captor, and wouldn't harm the girl, but found none. If he killed either the mount, or the rider, the girl would hit the ground long before he could catch her. Instead, he pushed his mount to her limits, and sped after them...only to receive a sharp clout to the back of his head as he was hit from behind, and fell from the saddle.

* * *

 _ **At long last, an update!**_

 _ **Trivia: What did Link say to Zelda?**_

 _ **Please Review!**_


	12. Chapter 12: An Unlikely Rescue Party

_**Trivia Answer:**_ If you typed "I love you", then you were correct!

 _ **Kingdom of the Dragon Arc**_

* * *

 _ **12: An Unlikely Rescue Party**_

* * *

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

The angered shriek of the woman echoed throughout the halls of the castle, setting each and every guard on edge as they recognized their Oracle's voice. And the subject of her anger was just as surprising as her ire. The Sheikah woman that had grown to be so feared throughout the castle now seemed to shrink before the irate Oracle as she explained just why her son was nowhere to be found within the castle grounds, or the town for that matter.

Saria glared at the woman, her emerald eyes flashing dangerously, "Did you even think to inform me before the day was out that you sent Link out into the wilds he's unfamiliar with after the princess?" She demanded, "And why in the world would you keep it a secret? If the king knew then - "

"Then I'm sure that half of Hyrule would be searching for the princess," Impa nodded, keeping her composure. "I'm sorry, Lady Saria, but if Ganondorf caught wind of her disappearance, then we would be in more dire straights than we are now." She said, "He's planning something that involves her, and I have no intention of allowing him to get his hands on her."

Saria crossed her arms over her chest, scowling, "I realize that you look at her as a daughter, Impa, but I raised Link from a mere babe! You cannot expect me to happily smile when I find that you have sent him off, alone I might add, when it's so dangerous for him right now considering this King Dragmire wants him as much as he seems to want the princess. Did you not think of that?"

"In truth, I did think about that," Impa nodded, "But I also know that Link is well within his abilities to take on a few monsters if he has too, and perhaps even best a trained Gerudo." She said, much to the woman's dismay.

"And yet he promised to have her back within an hour, and here it is, dusk," she said, looking out the window across the plains of Hyrule. Impa stood beside her, and would have said something had she not caught sight of a bright red flash of flames in the sky, miles away from the town walls.

=x=

Several Hours Later (Zelda)

Zelda's head ached as she came awake to the heat of a fire burning brightly in front of her. She nearly gagged at the smell of old sweat and filthy skin wafting all around her. The grunts and growls of Bokoblins drew her attention to the slumbering creatures around the fire, the Bulbo mounts sleeping not far from them. The remains of some poor animal lay close to the fire, the bones picked clean by the creatures.

Her own stomach let out a small growl, making her wonder how long she had been unconscious. Her hands were tied behind her back, making it impossible for her to see the knot keeping them that way. She tested her bindings, hoping to wriggle free of the ropes, her arms were too weak to accomplish that.

Her fingers then blindly searched the ground around her hands for something, anything, sharp enough to cut the rope. Unfortunately, she was out of luck, and found naught but grass beneath her fingers.

She wanted to scream in utter frustration as she slumped, her head resting in the grass. Though if she did that now, she'd wake her captors. The thought of worming her way out of the camp crossed her mind, but then she had no idea where she was. Most of the Hylian countryside was familiar to her, but she had no way of knowing where she was now without a proper map.

' _Still,_ ' she thought, looking over at the grotesque creatures, ' _It's better to be wolf bait than sitting here with these things._ ' She growled around her gag, and started inch-worming her way toward the bushes. Her thoughts turning to Link. She wondered what had happened to her brave little Page after she had lost consciousness, hoping against all odds that he had survived the attack.

A snort from behind her froze the girl in her tracks, but when she stilled, and looked over her shoulder it was only to see one of the Bulbos twitching its ears this way and that. Finally, however, she reached the bushes...and promptly tumbled down a small hill, giving off a muffled squeal as she landed with a thump.

"Hey!" Shouted a tiny voice, making the princess jump near out of her skin as a tiny form flitted up out of a rotting log, "What's the big idea!?" Demanded an irate Fairy. Zelda was more than stunned. She had never ever seen a Fairy before, not even when she was in the Kokiri village. The one yelling at her at the moment was a tiny little red-head, so small that she could fit in the palm of one of her dainty hands. Her wings were that of a dragonfly's, and she had the tiniest blue eyes she had ever seen. It was then that the little fireball of a Fairy noticed that the clumsy oaf that had woke her up was in fact tied up, and gagged. "Oh, my goodness! Are you alright, dear?"

Zelda didn't, couldn't, answer, only mumbling around her gag, and wriggling against her binds frantically.

The Fairy was quick to understand, and flitted down and pulled the dirty rag from her mouth, and then zipped behind her to get rid of her binds. Surprisingly, as Zelda waited, the Fairy was quick to release her hands and feet, which she rubbed soothingly to get the circulation going again. She then flitted back up, and landed in front of the girl, "There, that's better, isn't it?"

"Yes," the princess smiled happily, "Thank you so much for saving me, Miss."

"Call me Felicia, honey," the Fairy said, "And what are you doing way out here? And why in the world do you stink of Bokoblin sweat and Bulbo filth?"

Zelda looked back over her shoulder, worried that the Blins would hear them, and stumbled to her feet, "Because I was kidnapped," she whispered, inching her way into the forest, and away from the camp, "I need to find a way back home, and fast. My...my friend was with me when we were attacked, and I don't know what happened to him."

Felicia flitted up to her should and perched herself there, "Well, maybe I can help," she offered, "Where're you from, kid?"

"Hyrule," the girl supplied, making the little Fairy whistle.

"Girl, you are a long way from home," she said, pointing back the way she had tumbled, "Hyrule is close to a hundred miles that'a way."

Zelda blanched, ' _A hundred miles?!_ ' She sank to her knees, "I'll never make it," she moaned, "with all these monsters around, they'll catch me for certain!"

Felicia giggled, "Not with me around, they won't, Sugar." She then zipped back into the air, "Now come on, we need to get you away from those smelly critters before the sun's up, else we won't get very far."

"Where are we going?" Zelda asked.

Felicia turned and smiled at her, "Lot's of people don't know it, but there's a Korok village pretty close to here." She said, jerking her thumb toward the forest, "If you ever ask a Korok for help, you're sure to get what you need, and then some...say, I never asked your name?"

The young princess smiled at her self-appointed guide, "My name is Zelda." The girl said, following after the little Fairy as quickly as she could, more than willing to leave the Bokoblin camp far behind her. "Where exactly am I, anyway?"

"Well, you're in Holodrum territory," Felicia said, making the girl flinch, "Yeah, for a little Hylian like you, this is not a nice place."

Zelda cocked her head as she followed after her, "Why is that?"

Felicia sighed, "Well, let's just say that Humans here have a different view of your kind than others do." She said, crossing her little arms as she floated along. "Old Onox catches and enslaves any Hylian that's dumb enough to set foot in his kingdom. The Humans here are just as bad about as he is. I haven't seen any Hylian without a collar around their neck in a long time."

Zelda unconsciously reached up to her neck, gulping back bile.

"Yeah," the little Fairy nodded, seeing the girl's reaction, "You can be certain that I'm not lettin' you go anywhere near any of the settlements around here. Even Gorons and Zoras are barely tolerated."

"But the Humans back home have been peaceful ever since the war ended," Zelda said, and ducked under a branch, "Why would Onox keep other races as slaves?"

Felicia just shrugged and fluttered over to a small tree, "I don't know, really. He used to be nice a long time ago." She said, smiling, "He was the last of the White Dragons, and - "

"Dragon?" Zelda questioned, looking at the little Fairy in surprise, "I thought he was just an extremely old Human, at least according to our history books."

Felicia shook her head, "Nope, Onox is a Dragon. A powerful one, too." She sighed, settling herself on a small branch, "There used to be lots of Dragons in Holodrum. I loved watching them fly. They didn't even need wings."

"The Dragon I know back in Hyrule was really nice, though." Zelda said, thinking of Farosh. "He even gave me a magic artifact...though I'm not all that good with it."

Zelda's stomach then rumbled as the girl blushed, and Felicia giggled, "Hungry, huh?" The little Fairy darted off into the bushes, worrying Zelda for a moment, before she returned with ripe red apple. "It's not much," she said, setting the piece of fruit in her hands, "But at least it's something. It's getting late in the year, so most of the fruit trees are dropping off like flies."

Zelda didn't mind at all as she bit into the apple, delighted at the sweet taste. "I wonder how long I was out," she said as she ate, "It feels like I haven't eaten in days."

Felicia perched on her shoulder, "If you came from Hyrule, then I'd guess at about two to three days." She said, making the girl frown, "That's about how long it takes someone on horseback. On foot? Give it about a week. But if we're going to get you home, you'll have to avoid the main roads if you don't wanna get caught by Human slavers."

Zelda was barely paying attention, however, having finished the apple, she now felt extremely tired for some reason, even though she had been out cold for days. The tiny red-head saw this and smiled, "You're probably exhausted from all of this stress, huh?" She flitted from her shoulder, and circled around a small patch of grass, causing it to weave into a bed-like shape. "You can rest here for the night. I promise, I won't let anything or anyone harm you as long as I'm around."

The girl nodded, and slowly crawled onto the grass mat, laying her head down on her arms, and drifting off almost immediately. Felicia smiled at the girl and fluttered down to kiss the top of her head. The act immediately set her wings to glowing brightly, thoroughly shocking the little Fairy. She zipped back up, and regarded the child curiously, "Strange, I haven't seen a mortal with this much magic since...nah, couldn't be. What would one of the royal family be doing out this far from home?"

Shrugging it off as a coincident, she fluttered back down and nestled herself against the little girl's neck, using her hair as a blanket, and soon she, too, was asleep.

When morning came, the Bokoblins would find that their hostage was long gone, and would search the surrounding forest for hours before riding off in search of her. Little did they know that Fairy magic could distort things from how they normally appeared. What appeared to be a lively green shrub with golden flowers in full bloom was, in fact, the very thing they were looking for as the young princess slept soundly under the protection of her new friend, and protector.

=x=

Hyrule Castle (Link)

Link opened his eyes slowly, his head throbbing horribly.

"Hey, he's waking up!" He heard someone say, much too loudly for the pounding going on in his head. Almost like a Goron pounding on a drum.

"Thank Hylia!" That was Saria, and he also though he heard Arn shouting somewhere nearby as well as Rusl and his two friends. "Link, dear, can you hear me?"

Blinking away the pain, his vision cleared and he found the Oracle looking down at him tearfully, "M-Mother?"

"We're here, too, ya know?" Groose said grumpily shoving his way into the room, "How come you didn't tell us you were going out after the princess?"

Link blinked in confusion for a moment, "The princess..." the it dawned on him, his eyes widening, "The princess!" He bolted up out of bed...or tried to at least before a vine wrapped around his middle and hauled him back into bed. "Mom, let me go!"

Saria huffed, "Link, I don't know what happened out there, but it was bad enough that you've been unconscious for four day straight!" She griped, looming over him with her hands on her hips as Arn and Rusl rushed into the room. "And what in the world possessed you not to tell anyone before you tore out of here like a frightened Keese! You could've been killed!"

Link pouted, something Groose, and Pipit, who was by his bedside, had never seen him do, "Impa told me not to tell anyone because she thought Ganondorf would try to take her."

"Which he did," Impa said, appearing in the room behind the Oracle.

"Would you stop sneaking up on me like that?!" Saria snapped angrily, thoroughly frazzled by the entire ordeal, "It was utterly stupid of you to send him out alone! He's gifted as a warrior, yes, but you expect too much of him!"

Impa huffed, "I couldn't have foreseen him getting ambushed by an entire horde of Bokoblins any more than you could, unless you have the gift of Foresight, Lady Saria."

"Don't you get smart with me, I'm your elder!" Saria snapped.

Arn looked like he want to say something to his son, but Rusl gave him a look, a small gesture toward the two women and frowned, ' _Do not get in the middle of that._ ' Needless to say that Arn gave a silent nod to his former apprentice as the two women argued, all the while Link was trying to untangle himself from the vine Saria had wrapped around him.

Pipit and Groose sat themselves on the bed, regarding their friend with slight worry, "So," Groose said, crossing his arms, "What the hell happened out there? And why did Zelda suddenly take off like she did?"

Link shook his head, "Zion had something to do with it," the young apprentice said, sighing, "She really didn't wanna come back, either." He said, catching Impa and Saria's attention. "She just wanted to keep going until she found someplace that no one knew her by sight, or could recognize her as the princess."

Groose whistled while Pipit winced, "Jeez," the younger of the two said, "How did you convince her to come back?"

Link frowned and laid back against the pillow, "Doesn't matter...I didn't bring her back like I promised Impa."

The woman in question softened her gaze, "Link, my child, you know that wasn't your fault," she said in comfort, "Saria is right in that I shouldn't have sent you off on your own after her. Even your two brothers in arms would have been better than just you yourself."

"And the king is sending his best men out to find her," Saria continued, placing her hand against the boy's forehead, "We'll soon have her back."

Link looked at her, "They were heading South with her, but that's not in the direction of the desert."

"South?" Arn asked, pushing his way over, and looking down at his son, "Are you sure of that, son?"

Link nodded. "Of course I am," he grumbled at the man, "I always know which way I'm going."

"He meant no offense, lad," Rusl said, stepping in to his friend's rescue, "But the men we've dispatched to find the princess have all gone toward Gerudo, and if she's gone South, then she could be - "

"In deeper trouble than you think," Link growled, tugging against the vines again, but Saria pushed him back down.

She shook her head, "Link, please, you need to rest." She told him, rising, "We'll be back in a few minutes after we've told the king what you've told us. Groose, Pipit, you keep an eye on him."

"Yes, Ma'am," the boys said in unison.

The adults then left the room, closing the door behind them. The two boys waited for a few minutes, keeping stalk still until they couldn't hear their footsteps anymore before springing into action. Pipit bounded to the door, cracking it open to peer out, "Alright, the coast's clear," he hissed back to Groose as the larger boy took out a dagger and started cutting Link free. "That'll buy us about twenty minutes before they come back. We need to get a move on, or they'll catch us!"

Groose looked at his friend, "I thought you were all about honor and rules, Pip?" He grinned as Link staggered to his feet, "Taking off like this seems like a very dishonorable way to break the rules."

Pipit stuck his tongue out at him, "Just shut up and let's get down to the stables."

Link frowned as he looked between the pair, "What're you guys planning?"

"Rescuing the princess, of course," Groose grinned at him, sheathing his dagger, "Kind'a what Knights are supposed to do, ain't it?"

"Will you guys come on!" Pipit groused, and bolted out the door, Groose and Link hot on his heels, "We've already gotten all we need tucked away in the stables."

"How'd you guys manage this?" Link asked, visibly shocked that his friends had done something like this.

Groose turned and grinned as they ran down the halls, "We figured you'd try to go it alone as soon as you woke up when we found you passed out in the fields," he said as they turned and pelted down the stairs, "We didn't think letting you go off on your own again was such a good idea, so me and Pipit talked it over and decided to just go with you."

"No way!" Link snapped, "I'm not letting you guys get caught up in my mess!"

The two boys nearly bowled right into Pipit as he screeched to a halt just inside the gates leading to the courtyard, "Look, you don't get a choice, not this time," the boy said, looking at him, "Groose and I already know you'll be the Knight Commander unless something monumentally stupid happens, like you going off and getting yourself killed on some lame "I-Have-To-Save-The-Princess" crock and bull like some storybook hero," Link blushed, his ears flicking slightly as Pipit spoke. "I'm fine the way things are. You'd make a great Commander, and Groose and I would be your seconds. We're fine with that."

"Why, though?" Link asked, only to be throttled by Groose.

"Cause we're your friends, ya jackass!" The larger teen growled. "Besides, Zelda's been makin' doe eyes at you since you got here, and there's no way we're letting you two elope like one of those cheesy girly books Pipit reads!"

"They're history books!" Pipit argued.

"Right," Groose said, letting go of the smaller boy, "Point is, if we don't all go, then we don't go at all." He said, then peeked out the door, "Okay, it's all clear, let's get going!"

Night was already settling in as the three boys snuck their way into the stables. Epona nickered at him in greeting when she saw her rider, and the boy smiled at the little mare. "There's a path just outside the castle walls that leads out into the plains," Pipit said as he saddled up his pony, "We can make our way South from there if we keep quiet enough."

"What's in the South?" Groose asked, "I've never been out that way."

"Holodrum, and to the Southeastern border, Labrynna," Pipit said, "Holodrum's not such a good place for Hylians like us, but Labrynna's got good relations with Hyrule, so if we have to make a really quick get-away, we can easily cross the border, and make our way back home from there."

Link noticed that both of them had their gifts from Farosh strapped to their saddles, his own, the shield, Daybreaker, tucked up onto his back. He also noticed that one of them had tucked the silver/sapphire circlet into his saddlebags alongside a quiver of Fire Arrows, the ones he had left over from his race across the field, probably. It didn't matter, he could make more arrows, and transform them into their elemental counterparts later if he needed. It helped that he still had the blessings of the Great Fairies, and held a large amount of magic in his body.

"Groose, why do you have that hammer?" Pipit asked as he mounted up, noting that Groose had an iron sledge hammer strapped to his back.

The larger boy shrugged, "It just suits me better." He said, patting the spear at his side, "Besides, this things seems better for jousting than anything."

Link smiled at them, wondering why he hadn't wanted friends the first time he had gone through his life. Still, he was glad to have them at his side now.

* * *

 _ **A journey of a hundred miles begins for four young children as Zelda finds herself in a land hostile toward Hylians, thought she finds an unlikely friend in the Fairy, Felicia(See Link's Awakening), and is for the moment, safe from the dark designs of Ganondorf. Intent on rescuing her, Link, Groose and Pipit set out on an ill-conceived mission thought up by his friends in order to support him in his time of need.**_

 _ **Please Review!**_

* * *

 _ **Characters:**_

Princess Zelda:

Age: 11

Height: 4'9

Skills: Swordsmanship,horsemanship, archery

Magic: ?

Current Equipment:

Clothing/Armor:Climber's Bandanna, Old Shirt(brown),Well-Worn Trousers

Weapons: None

Link:

Age: 12

Height: 4'5 (He's still the shortest)

Skills: Swordsmanship, horsemanship, archery, bilingual

Magic: Din's Fire, Naryu's Love, Farore's Wind

Current Equipment:

Clothing/Armor: Hylian Hood, Hylian Tunic, Hylian Trousers, Daybreaker(shield)

Weapons: Kokiri Sword, Forest Dweller's Bow, Fire Arrows(BoTW)

Groose:

Age: 13

Height: 5'5

Skills: Strength, Swordsmanship, Horsemanship

Magic: None

Current Equipment:

Clothing/Armor: Hylian Tunic Set, Hylian shield

Weapons: Iron Sledgehammer, Zora Spear

Pipit:

Age: 12

Height: 5'

Skills: Archery, Swordsmanship, Horsemanship

Magic: Alchemy(Potions)

Current Equipment:

Clothing/Armor: Hylian Tunic Set, Wooden Shield(BoTW)

Weapons: Traveler's Sword, Duplex Bow


End file.
